Teacher Enoch Burke sent back to prison after heated court hearing

A High Court judge has again sent teacher Enoch Burke back to Mountjoy Prison where he has already spent over 300 days over his failure to comply with an order to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School in Co Westmeath.

During what was at times a heated hearing on Friday, Mr Justice Mark Sanfey had offered to temporarily release Mr Burke from prison, in the hope the teacher would use the time the school was on holidays to reflect on his position.

However, Mr Burke refused to address the court’s proposal. He accused the judge of not doing his duty by ruling in what the teacher claimed was an alleged lie told to the court by a solicitor acting for the school in a sworn statement to the court.

Mr Burke, supported by members of his family, demanded that the court deal with the alleged lie over security arrangements that were put in place in the school, which had been reported during the week.

Alex White SC, for the school, said the security was put in place in relation to a matter unrelated to Mr Burke, and was over a dispute with a contractor.

Judge said he had ‘no option’ other than to send Mr Burke back to prison and said the teacher was ‘behaving in a way’ to keep himself in prison. File picture

When Mr Justice Sanfey dismissed the teacher’s submissions on that point, Mr Burke repeatedly demanded the court “do its duty” and deal with the lies”.

‘Insults’ against the court

Mr Justice Sanfey ruled Mr Burke was not addressing the offer to be released from prison, and had made “insults” against the court and other parties, and was continually talking across and interrupting the judge.

When Mr Burke refused to cease, the judge directed he be removed from the court.

When prison officers were in the process of removing the teacher from the courtroom, a scuffle ensued.

Mr Burke’s brother, Dr Issac Burke, was also physically removed from the courtroom by gardaí.

Following Mr Burke’s removal, Mr Justice Sanfey said he had “no option” other than to send Mr Burke back to prison and said the teacher was “behaving in a way” to keep himself in prison.

Mr Burke was brought before the court on Friday morning, when his on-going refusal to comply with an injunction made last year was reviewed by the judge.

The judge had previously described the teacher’s continued imprisonment as “a profoundly unsatisfactory situation.”

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