There are claims that jurors do not receive enough money

Judge Stephen Clarke, who sits on the North Wales and Chester circuit, said many people are undertaking jury service and losing money.

"The real problem is that most people do not get their full loss of earnings," he said.

"Make sure you screw every penny that you can," he added with a smile, at the end of a trial at Mold Crown Court.

The judge was thanking the jury on Wednesday when he made the comments.

He said that self-employed people were offered �55 a day which did not meet the national average wage.

No refreshments

He added that it was now being suggested that judges should be allowed to do jury service.

He said that "some bright spark at the Home Office" had thought it was a good idea.

However, he said it would not work as there would be a chance that he would know information about the cases if he carried out jury service.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Constitutional Affairs said "we don't comment on any remarks made by members of the judiciary".

The judge also apologised to the jury that they had no refreshments in the jury room.

The staff used to carry trays of tea and coffee to the jury room but they had been told that could no longer do so from a health and safety point of view, he explained.