All claims relating to defects become time barred at the earliest two months after all claims the final customer may have been fulfilled.

If a crime took place several years ago, notes Ms Powell, a Greek court may regard it as time-barred and decline to extradite, even though other EU countries would count it as still prosecutable.

Other real-time systems use algorithms to detect suspicious behaviour, such as a group loitering near a door where entry is barred, or to spot items of luggage that seem to have been left unattended.