My trial began at the Old Bailey on 11/9/2001. We returned at close of play to Ron Thwaites QC - my learned counsel's - Chambers and everyone was clustered around the TV watching New York news footage. I said to Thwaites "How on earth can we expect a jury to be paying attention to my silly little case when this is going on?" to which he answered "British Justice is not affected by minor global events" and looked at his watch like the White Rabbit. I was in Wonderland.