Prickly pastime for bored judges

You've got to feel sorry for New Zealand judges.

In a country where criminals are outnumbered by tourists looking for Lord of the Rings film locations and where locals think car-jacking is the latest dance craze, there was never going to be a huge call for their services.

This would probably explain the actions of one Auckland-based judge who was reported last week in the New Zealand Herald as admitting to visiting Internet sex sites while at work.

Further investigations found that three more judges have also been doing the same, and none other than New Zealand's chief justice, Dame Sian Elias, is currently pondering the situation.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark also weighed in, remarking: 'There's always computer games if you're waiting for a jury verdict.' Reports that the leadership of New Zealand Law Society is currently up to level six on Sonic the Hedgehog are as yet unconfirmed.