Enoch Burke, a former secondary school teacher at Wilson’s Hospital School in County Westmeath, Ireland, will spend Christmas 2025 in Mountjoy Prison. As of December 2025, he remains incarcerated for civil contempt of court after repeatedly breaching a permanent injunction prohibiting him from attending or trespassing on school grounds.
The dispute originated in 2022 when Burke objected on religious grounds to addressing a student by preferred pronouns and a new name. This led to his suspension, subsequent dismissal for gross misconduct, and ongoing legal battles. Despite multiple imprisonments totaling over 550 days across four periods since September 2022, Burke has continued to appear at the school upon release, prompting further court actions.
In November 2025, the High Court ordered his fourth imprisonment for persistent defiance. On December 3, 2025, Mr Justice Brian Cregan ruled that Burke would not receive a seasonal release for Christmas, unlike previous years, nor for Easter or summer holidays. The judge emphasized that release depends solely on Burke purging his contempt by undertaking to stay away from the school—a step he has consistently refused.
Burke holds the key to his freedom but chooses imprisonment over compromising his convictions. This case underscores the tension between individual conscience and judicial authority in enforcing court orders.
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