Mystery shook Waltham Forest Magistrates Court recently when prosecution counsel's complaint that his desk in Court 5 had been replaced by a shorter one was at first dismissed by all concerned as a lawyer's exaggeration of the facts. However, when he pointed out that the lack of space was forcing files to creep inside one another, and forms to go missing, witnesses were examined by court officers in desk jobs waiting for desk crimes such as this, and the missing desk was found almost two yards away, hidden under a court calendar and a tray of paper-clips. Mr Barry Press then made an impassioned plea for its return, described by onlookers as reminiscent of Cicero's pro domo suo. Quoting footnotes from the Descant Recorder, recounting the history of the Crown's need for space, and referring to the Lord Chancellor's foot, New Scotland Yard, and the long arm of the law, he cried "Give us the desks and we will finish the job!". Several hours later, after a definitive review of Descartian philosophy, and its principles "I have a desk, therefore I am", and "The pen is mightier than the sword, but the desk should be put before the cart", he was attempting to demonstrate that "Art is long, but the desk is short" when the court gave in and ordered the desk to be restored (see picture). A search continues for the missing defence counsels' desk.