DESPITE the comfort of their hallowed chambers, their salaries, the shortness of the court day (10am to 4.30pm) and the deference they receive from lesser mortals, even judges are subject to stresses and strains – as the following exchanges from court show.

“Good afternoon,” said a defence barrister to a judge when his case was finally called into court just before midday long after he expected to be in court. “Some of us have already completed a long shift,” the judge replied, referring to the ten cases and 11 defendants he had already dealt with before the barrister’s case was called on.

“One can see why the Honorary Recorder of York is on holiday,” said the prosecution, barrister referring to Judge Stephen Ashurst, who handles similarly long lists on a regular basis.

“I can see exactly,” the judge replied.

When the barrister wondered what the next day’s list was like, the court clerk produced answered that, excluding two trials, one each, the judge and his judicial colleague in the other court would deal with a further 23 cases. Some had been due to be heard a month earlier but had to be postponed because the judge had been too busy.