A German court had to restart the trial of two men suspected of robbing a shop because a judge kept nodding off during the proceedings.

A Muenster state court official said the presiding judge decided it was better to start things over from scratch than provide immediate grounds for an appeal.

German trials are typically heard by a panel of five judges — three professionals and two lay judges.

In this case, it was one of the lay judges who could not stay awake on Monday.

It was the first day of the trial and it was able to start again from scratch, after an alternate judge took his place.

Press Association