Courts / Westmeath / Report
Jailed teacher Enoch Burke claims Sunday paper defamed him
Summary
Jailed teacher Enoch Burke appeared before the High Court on Thursday to claim he was defamed in a Sunday Independent article. Represented by his sister, solicitor Ammi Burke, he sought an urgent order under Section 33 of the 2009 Defamation Act to prevent republication, alleging the paper falsely claimed he was moved within Mountjoy Prison. The publisher denied the allegations. Justice Brian O'Moore rejected the request for Burke to be produced from prison earlier than Friday, noting the article had been removed. He refused to make an order without notice to the newspaper but set an early return date for Burke to formalise his application. Justice O'Moore, who is also presiding over the underlying dispute with Wilson's Hospital School, expressed bemusement at claims that media reporting could prejudice the case. He stated he would not be influenced by media coverage and planned to hear from both parties on Friday regarding case management. Burke, who has been incarcerated since early September for contempt of court after refusing to comply with an injunction to stay away from the school, has appealed to the Court of Appeal against the injunction and his suspension. He denies misconduct allegations related to his objection to addressing a transitioning student with specific pronouns, which he says conflicts with his Christian beliefs. The school maintains the issue is his refusal to obey court orders. The appeal is scheduled for mention before the Court of Appeal on Friday.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jailed teacher Enoch Burke claims Sunday paper defamed him. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- 2022-10-13 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Outcome: Photo: Collins) Jailed teacher Enoch Burke claimed before the High Court this morning that he was defamed in a Sunday Independent newspaper article published about him last weekend.
Places mentioned
- High Court
- The High Court
- Court of Appeal
- Mountjoy Prison
- Wilson's Hospital
- Irish Prison
Topics
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