An Irish teacher who spent 550 days in prison for contempt of court after refusing to use a student's preferred pronouns has been released, but immediately vowed to return to his former school, risking a swift return to jail.
Court Orders Conditional Release for Legal Preparation
Enoch Burke was ordered to be released from Mountjoy Prison on Wednesday by High Court judge Mr Justice Brian Cregan. The judge stated the release was for "one reason and one reason only - the interest in the administration of justice", acknowledging that Burke was "somewhat hamstrung" in preparing his legal case while in custody.
The release is to allow Burke to prepare a legal challenge against the Disciplinary Appeals Panel (DAP), which is reviewing his dismissal from Wilson's Hospital School in County Westmeath. The judge noted Burke had raised "substantive" and "credible" issues against the panel.
A Dispute Rooted in Religious Beliefs
The protracted legal battle began in 2022 when the school's then head teacher asked staff to address a transitioning student by a new name and pronouns. Enoch Burke, a teacher at the school, refused on the grounds of his religious beliefs, continuing to use the student's birth name and sex.
This refusal led to a disciplinary process and his eventual dismissal. Burke was later jailed for contempt of court after repeatedly breaching an injunction that banned him from entering the school grounds, his former workplace.
Defiant Stance and a Stark Judicial Warning
Despite his release, the court imposed strict conditions. Mr Justice Cregan explicitly warned Burke not to trespass on school property. The judge stated that if Burke did so, the school should return to the High Court the next day, at which point he would have "no hesitation in bringing him back to prison".
In a defiant response during the hearing, Burke repeatedly told the court he intended to return to Wilson's Hospital School. "If I am released from this court today, I will be at my workplace tomorrow," he stated. "If I am released from prison, my duty is to be at my workplace."
He later accused the court of an "outstanding U-turn" and hypocrisy for ordering his release. In a sharp retort, Mr Justice Cregan responded: "Mr Burke, your ability to shoot yourself in the foot is unparalleled, in my experience."
The case is scheduled to be listed again on Thursday to address any potential breach of the court order. Enoch Burke, who has consistently framed the conflict as a matter of conscience and religious freedom, now faces a critical choice between compliance with the law and his publicly stated principle to return to the school.
