Two teenage boys charged with rape and sexual assault have appeared at magistrates’ court on Tuesday. 

The two teenagers, both 17, have been charged on counts of rape and sexual assault. 

The pair, due to their age, cannot be named for legal reasons. 

On Tuesday, the presiding judge said that proceedings had been delayed owing to the difficulty in arranging for the defendants, their lawyers and an interpreter to all meet in person in one location. 

“It isn’t good enough that we haven’t been able to proceed so far,” he said. “I apologise to each one of you in the dock. These are serious matters and some progress should have been made by now.” 

The defendants were remanded to a youth detention centre overnight, and will appear again at Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.