Teacher refuses court order again
TEACHER Enoch Burke must remain in jail after he again refused to comply with a court order to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School.
He was brought from Mountjoy Prison to the High Court yesterday, when his on going refusal to comply with orders made last year was reviewed by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey.
After refusing to comply, the judge said he saw no reason to alter the order.
Burke, who has spent 172 days in prison since September, said the court was asking him “to do something wrong” adding that by agreeing to comply with the order was
“evil”.
The judge said he was adjourning the matter to late
March to further review what is a
“profoundly unsatisfactory situation.”
He added when the matter returns, he wanted Wilson ROW Hospital School’s counsel to submit alternatives to Burke’s imprisonment, including the sequestration of assets.
The court heard he continues to be paid his salary pending his appeal against the school’s decision to dismiss him, is being imprisoned at a cost to the tax payer, has not paid any of the fines imposed on him by the High Court last year, nor paid any of the costs orders made against him by the courts in favour of the school.
Burke described the court’s proposal as “a mockery” of him, and had begged the judge to deal with the lies that had resulted in his imprisonment and suspension.
Burke, who has spent almost a year inside, claims he was jailed because he was being punished for his belief.
He also claims his incarceration is also due to his opposition to “transgenderism” and his refusal to comply with a direction from the school in 2022 to refer to a student by a different pronoun.
In court Burke attempted to raise issues about a report by former Principal Niamh Mcshane in 2022, which led to his suspension, which he argues underpins his imprisonment.
He said the courts had not properly dealt with the report which he says contains “lies” and accused the courts of covering up the truth.
Mr Justice Sanfey told him the points he wished to make, could be aired at different forums.
The court only wanted to know if Burke would obey the order to stay away from the school.
In reply to his demands that the court address the report and his claims members of the bench and bar had lied, the judge told him to “watch his language”.
Alex White SC for the school, said it would address the issues raised by the judge, and repeated its stance that while it does not want to see Burke in jail, it wants court orders obeyed.
Counsel added the school wanted to make it clear its position that he is “entitled to whatever views he wishes”.
Last week Mr Justice Sanfey ruled Burke’s parents and siblings could not attend because of their disruptive behaviour in the chamber.