A judge at the centre of a media storm has denied being influenced by alcohol during a trial.

The Judicial Communications Office said Judge Douglas Field, 63, emphatically denies allegations that he was under the influence when he instructed jurors to acquit a 55-year-old defendant accused of raping a minor after they failed to reach a verdict.

The mother of the alleged victim, aged eight, wrote to the Office For Judicial Complaints claiming the judge attended a leaving party during an extended lunch break.

She also claimed the judge forgot the man was facing a further two charges and dismissed the jury before it was able to give verdicts on the charges.

In documents seen by The Sun newspaper, the complainant said in her opinion the judge’s behaviour was like that of a person influenced by alcohol when he returned to court.

According to the newspaper, she also described how he sat at his bench with his head in his hands, resting his elbows on the table, following the leaving party.

The defendant in the case was accused of raping the young girl as well as two charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The Crown Prosecution Service sought a retrial last November on the two outstanding charges, but jurors failed to reach a verdict and the defendant was formally cleared.

The mother is also thought to have contacted her local MP, James Gray the MP for North Wiltshire, who said: “I’ve seen the report in The Sun and my absolute stance on it is that I will not comment on constituent matters.

“Meetings and surgeries between myself and a constituent are completely private.

“I know nothing about Judge Field to make any comment on him.

“My experience of the justice system is extremely good and we have one of the best in the world and I don’t think this story should affect that.

“I don’t know how The Sun got a copy of the letter but I can assure you it did not come from me.”

A spokesman for the Judicial Communications Office said: “As reported in today’s Sun the Office For Judicial Complaints is investigating a complaint into His Honour Judge Field’s conduct of a case last year.

“The judge emphatically denies all the allegations and has made a formal complaint to the Press Complaints Commission.”

A spokesman for the OJC said: “A complaint has been received about His Honour Judge Field in relation to a trial at Swindon Crown Court in June 2010. This is being investigated. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”

The complaint concerns a trial at Swindon Crown Court in June last year.