It is easy to laugh at the English judiciary, with all those bewigged judges who seemingly know nothing of the wider world outside their chambers. But they know how to turn a phrase, those judges. With Nicholas Van Hoogstraten back in the news, it is worth recalling that many years ago he was described in court as “a self-styled emissary of Beelzebub”. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s used that phrase ever since when filling in his “Occupation” on documents.