THE MOTHER and sister of Enoch Burke are to be arrested and jailed for contempt of court.
A judge at the High Court in Dublin sentenced Martina and Ammi Burke to two weeks behind bars over their behaviour at a hearing last month.
The proceedings on February 20 saw Mr Burke ultimately fail in a challenge to the membership of a panel to hear his appeal against his dismissal from Wilson’s Hospital School in Co. Westmeath.
The former teacher was dismissed in 2023 for gross misconduct arising out of his refusal to obey a 2022 direction from the school that a transgender pupil be referred to as ‘they’.
However, he has been jailed numerous times since for continuing to breach rulings preventing him from trespassing on the school grounds, while he continues to appeal his dismissal.
During the February 20 hearing, Mr Burke was returned to Mountjoy Prison after continually interrupting, later re-joining via video-link when proceedings resumed.
Mr Justice Brian Cregan also ordered Martina and Ammi Burke to be removed after they began shouting following Mr Burke’s removal, with the pair waiting outside when the case resumed later that day.
‘Family circus’
No arrest was effected at the time, however, Mr Justice Cregan today imposed a custodial sentence on the pair, who failed to appear court.
Mr Burke’s brother Isaac told the court that his mother and sister were at their place of employment.
Mr Justice Cregan said that despite having no right to speak during last month’s hearing, Martina and Ammi Burke had ‘persisted in standing up in court and shouting and roaring at the top of their voices’.
He added: “The law applies equally to all persons who seek to deliberately interrupt court proceedings and seek to disrupt them.”
The judge also said he intended to direct that the pair, as well Isaac Burke, are no longer permitted to attend any of Enoch Burke’s future hearings in person.
Isaac Burke was also removed from the February 20 hearing after he had interrupted the resumed proceedings.
The judge said he would be sending his judgement to the Law Society’s disciplinary committee to consider whether it should open an investigation into Ammi Burke, who is a trained solicitor.
Mr Justice Cregan said it was time the court brought an end to the Burke ‘family circus’.
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