Dismissed teacher Enoch Burke will remain in Mountjoy Prison after once again refusing to comply with court orders mandating him to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School in County Westmeath.

On Tuesday, October 3, Burke appeared before the court because his imprisonment was up for review. If Burke stated that he was willing to stay away from the school, he could have been released today. However, he once again refused the opportunity to purge his contempt.

His family members, including his father Sean and sister Ammi, were removed from the courtroom by Gardaí after shouting and interrupting the court and refusing to leave.

Burke’s mother, Martina, initially stated that she would not leave without her son, but eventually departed the courtroom on her own.

Enoch’s parents and his sister, Ammi, have started roaring about unjust laws from the back of the courtroom.

The judge has called for the guards to remove them.

Martina: “Can our son Enoch leave with us?”

Eh, no.

— Frank Greaney (@FrankGreaney) October 3, 2023

Enoch Burke was originally suspended from his position at Wilson’s Hospital School after harassing the principal and publicly disputing a transgender student’s pronouns at a school event in June 2022.

Justice Sanfey stated that the court was not concerned with the background dispute, and was only dealing with the issue of contempt. Burke said he did not want to be in prison, but he would not comply with the court order because doing so would be asking him to deny his religious beliefs.

He called his imprisonment an “unconstitutional misuse” of the court and, citing what he believes is the reason why he was brought back to prison, he said: “I’m there because I couldn’t endorse transgenderism.”

Earlier, Enoch told the judge:

“I don’t want to be in jail. I should not be in a cell. I should not be in chains.

“I’m there because I couldn’t endorse transgenderism.”

— Frank Greaney (@FrankGreaney) October 3, 2023

However, the reason why Enoch Burke was sent back to prison is because he repeatedly violated court orders which demanded that he stay away from the school during the disciplinary process.

While on paid administrative leave last year, Burke continued to show up at the school, causing severe disruption for staff and students. Earlier this year, students wrote a letter to their former teacher voicing their concerns.

Burke was officially dismissed from Wilson’s Hospital School in January for gross misconduct. Despite accruing a daily fine of €700, the school board noted that he continued to attend Wilson’s Hospital campus.

He was jailed in September 2023 for continuing to show up at the school every day since the new school year commenced in August.

The judge has accepted Enoch’s silence as a refusal to purge his contempt so he’s back in handcuffs and is being taken back to Mountjoy Prison as we speak.

The case will be reviewed again in December and Enoch was told he can purge his contempt anytime before then.

— Frank Greaney (@FrankGreaney) October 3, 2023

This is the second time that Burke has been jailed for contempt. From September until December 2022, Burke spent 108 days in prison for breaching the court order.

This case will be reviewed again on December 12.