Enoch Burke challenges High Court injunction over contempt

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Enoch Burke’s stay application over a contempt of court injunction was before the High Court on 7 November 2022; the judge reserved his decision.

Mr Justice Brian O’Moore rejected as “utterly without merit” Burke’s allegations against named members of the judiciary and called his descriptions of a court “cover up” or “stitch up” inappropriate.

Burke sought to delay the school’s full case against him until his appeal against injunctions preventing him from attending or teaching at Wilson’s Hospital School was determined. The school opposed the application, arguing that an early hearing would not prejudice him and that the dispute still required a full High Court hearing.

Burke remained in Mountjoy Prison after being jailed for contempt of court in September. The report said he would remain there until he agreed to comply with the court order not to attend or attempt to teach classes at the school.

The school’s proceedings arose from Burke’s alleged failure to comply with the injunction and his paid suspension while a disciplinary process concerning alleged misconduct was pending. Burke argued that the case concerned his religious objections to transgenderism; the school said it concerned his refusal to comply with the suspension terms.