Teacher Enoch Burke leaves prison after court orders release
By Orla O’Donnell, RTE:
Jailed secondary school teacher Enoch Burke walked free from Mountjoy Prison tonight after his release was ordered by the High Court.
Mr Justice Brian O’Moore issued the ruling this evening after a hearing earlier today.
The judge said the only threat to Mr Burke’s continued freedom would be if he again breached a High Court order.
Mr Burke was jailed in early September after breaching a high court injunction directing him to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School in Co Westmeath.
He had been suspended on full pay by the school as part of a disciplinary process, following a row over a request from a student to be addressed by a new name and for “they/them” pronouns to be used.
The court granted the injunctions after Mr Burke continued to attend the school following his suspension.
He has refused to give undertakings to stay away from the school if he is released.
The High Court listed the matter this morning to explore if Mr Burke could be released from prison as the school will be closed for Christmas.
Mr Burke told Mr Justice O’Moore he could not participate in the process as to do so would be to agree that he was lawfully incarcerated.
He said the very basis for him to be in prison was wholly invalid.
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