BURKE REFUSES FREEDOM OFFER
Scuffle as teacher jailed for over 300 days is removed from court
A JUDGE has returned teacher Enoch Burke to Mountjoy Prison.
Mr Justice Mark Sanfey had offered to temporarily release him from jail yesterday, in the hope the teacher would use the school holidays to reflect on his position.
Burke has spent over 300 days locked up in Dublin’s Mountjoy over his refusal to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School in Co Westmeath.
While stressing the court orders must be complied with, Burke’s proposed release was not conditional on him agreeing to purge his contempt, the judge added.
However, Burke refused to address the court’s proposal, and accused the judge of “not doing his duty” over what the teacher claimed was a lie contained in a sworn statement to the court by a solicitor for the school.
Burke, supported by members of his family, said the school had lied over temporary security arrangements it had put in place, which had been reported in the media during the week.
Alex White SC for the school said the security was installed in a matter unrelated to Burke.
When Mr Justice Sanfey dismissed the teacher’s submissions on that point. Burke repeatedly demanded the court “do its duty” and “deal with the lies”. Mr Justice Sanfey said that Burke was not addressing the offer to be released from prison, had “insulted” the court and other parties, and was continually talking across and interrupting the judge.
When the transgender row teacher refused to cease the judge directed that he be removed from the court.
When prison officers were in the process of removing the teacher from the courtroom a scuffle ensued. In addition Burke’s brother Dr Issac Burke was twice physically removed from the courtroom by Gardai.
After Dr Burke was removed from the court for the second time, when he declined a direction from the court to behave, Mr Justice Sanfey said it was “a great shame and a disgrace to see such scenes in an Irish courtroom”.
Following Mr Burke’s removal Mr Justice Sanfey said that he had “no option” other than send him back to prison.
He said that despite efforts to give him an “out,” the teacher was “behaving in a way” that suggests he wants “to remain in prison”.
The judge adjourned the matter to a date in June.