Once I got the giggles out my system, after hearing the learned judge’s outburst in the Vicky Pryce perjury trial, I pondered the matter and realised that trial by jury is not unlike the witches ordeal of old.

Consider the make up of the jury; people whose single qualifying attribute for the task is the fact that they are on the electoral register.

How would you feel having your fate decided by the sort of people that you normally cross the road when you see them coming towards you? I could go on with a list of undesirable character traits and intelligence deficiencies ad infinitum, but I think you get the gist of it.

Everything else in the world is subject to change and update – I believe they call it “moving with the times”. It is time to examine whether a jury is still fit for purpose or whether we need to use professional jurors in order to “keep up with the times”