Ireland Case No. 2515Contempt of court · Co. Westmeath · 1 Jan 2023
Judge to consider sequestering Enoch Burke's assets over Westmeath contempt fines
Enoch Burke, an Irish teacher at Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath, was found in contempt of court in 2022 for attending the school in breach of an injunction ordering him to stay away. He spent more than 500 days in Mountjoy Prison in three stints and was released before Christmas 2024, but returned to the school on 6 January 2025 and has attended on most working days since. A daily fine of €700 imposed in January 2023, later doubled to €1,400, has left him owing an estimated €190,000. In January 2025, Mr Justice David Nolan gave Burke 14 days to make submissions on enforcement of the fines and is to consider whether the Attorney General can sequester his assets.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court1 Apr
6 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Enoch Burke, an Irish teacher, was found in contempt of court for attending Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath in breach of an injunction ordering him to stay away.
- Burke returned to the school on 6 January 2025 and has attended on most working days since, in breach of the court order.
- Where
- Wilson's Hospital School is located in Co Westmeath.
- When
- Burke has been on suspended paid administrative leave from the school since August 2022.
- In court
- In January 2023 the High Court imposed a daily fine of €700 for each day Burke remained in contempt, which was later doubled to €1,400 when he was released in December 2024.
- Mr Justice David Nolan estimated Burke owes approximately €190,000 in fines to date.
- In January 2025 the judge gave Burke 14 days to make submissions on how the fines are to be enforced.
- The Attorney General believes he has standing to seek sequestration of Burke's assets in the public interest, and a garnishee order against his salary was also discussed.
- Burke did not attend the High Court hearing on 21 January 2025 and instead attended the school.
- Sentence
- Burke spent more than 500 days in Mountjoy Prison in three stints and was released before Christmas 2024.
- Other details
- Burke continues to receive his full salary from the Department of Education while his dismissal appeal is pending.
49 statements extracted from the articles
- whatBurke was released from prison before Christmas (irishtimes.com)
- whatBurke spent a total of more than 500 days behind bars since August 2022 for contempt of court (irishtimes.com)
- whatApproximately €190,000 in fines are owed by Burke for each day he attended the school in breach of a court order. (irishtimes.com)
- whatBurke was released from prison before Christmas when the school was closed for the holidays. (irishtimes.com)
- whatBurke has spent more than 500 days in Mountjoy Prison for refusing to abide by a court order to stay away from the premises. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe German and history teacher returned to the school when it reopened on 6 January and has been there on most working days since. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe school is located in Co Westmeath. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenMr Burke has been on suspended paid administrative leave from the school since August 2022. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe Attorney General's lawyers said there were mechanisms to force Mr Burke to pay the fines. (rte.ie)
- chargeIn January 2023 the High Court imposed a daily fine of €700 for each day Mr Burke remained in contempt of court orders directing him to stay away from the school. (rte.ie)
- courtA judge rejected Enoch Burke's claim that he was mocked and ridiculed. (extra.ie)
- courtMr Justice David Nolan said coercive imprisonment should stop at least for the moment (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe case is listed for mention again in the High Court this month (irishtimes.com)
- courtEnoch Burke has been given two weeks to make submissions to the High Court on how fines imposed on him for contempt of court are to be enforced. (rte.ie)
- courtMr Burke did not attend court and described the hearing in a letter as illegal, unprecedented, and gravely disturbing. (rte.ie)
- courtJudge Nolan gave Mr Burke and the school 14 days to make submissions. (rte.ie)
- courtA High Court judge is to consider a submission that would allow the Attorney General to sequester Mr Burke's assets over contempt fines. (thejournal.ie)
- courtMr Burke did not attend the High Court in Dublin and instead attended Wilson's Hospital School. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe school has been granted injunctive relief restraining Mr Burke from attending, but he continues to attend in breach of the order. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge said he would give Mr Burke 14 days to make submissions before ruling at a later date. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe Attorney General believes he has standing to seek sequestration of Enoch Burke's assets in the public interest. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Nolan indicated he was minded to double the daily fine to €1,400 for each day Burke refuses to purge his contempt. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge directed Burke to file written submissions within two weeks in advance of the court ruling. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice David Nolan estimates Burke owes approximately €190,000 in fines to date. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA fine of €700 per day was imposed on Burke by the court since January 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe school was granted injunctive relief restraining Burke from attending, but he continues to attend in breach of the order. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA garnishee order would be in relation to Burke's salary and has never been made in Ireland, though it has been made in England and Wales. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtJustice Nolan said the court has the power to lock someone up for contempt but does not have similar powers to recover contempt fines. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtJustice Nolan gave Burke 14 days to make submissions before he would make a ruling. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe judge estimated Mr Burke owes around €190,000 from a €700 a day fine imposed in January 2023. (rte.ie)
- sentenceMr Burke has spent more than 500 days in Mountjoy Prison in three stints. (rte.ie)
- sentenceMr Burke owes an estimated €190,000 in fines following a €700 a day fine imposed since January 2023. (thejournal.ie)
- otherBurke made the claim in an email to the court. (extra.ie)
- otherThe judge sought details of how the almost €200,000 in fines Burke owed will be recovered (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe fine was increasing at €700 per day Burke attended the school property (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe judge doubled the daily fine to €1,400 when he released Burke in December (irishtimes.com)
- otherBurke is still on full pay pending an appeal hearing regarding his dismissal (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe appeal process has been held up by separate legal actions (irishtimes.com)
- otherEmployment solicitor Anne O'Connell said the court might have no option but to send Burke back to jail (irishtimes.com)
- otherMr Burke was freed just before Christmas and has returned to the school premises almost every day since it reopened. (rte.ie)
- otherThe Attorney General may be willing to bring the enforcement proceedings. (rte.ie)
- otherMr Burke continues to receive his full salary from the Department of Education while his dismissal appeal is pending. (rte.ie)
- otherOne option discussed is an order sequestering Mr Burke's assets, which would freeze them so monies could be withheld to discharge the fines. (thejournal.ie)
- otherA garnishee order against Mr Burke's salary was discussed, though the authority for it is not clear cut. (thejournal.ie)
- otherOne of Burke's brothers was in court to take notes of what occurred. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBurke is an Evangelical Christian who argued his suspension was unlawful and went against his right to express his religious beliefs. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherBurke has been on suspended paid administrative leave from the school since August 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherBurke was released from prison days before Christmas and continues to attend the school almost every day since it reopened. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherBurke said in an email that any attempt to strip him of his livelihood was 'deeply disturbing'. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 22 Jan2025High Court judge to consider order to sequester assets of Enoch Burke over fines
Reports on a High Court hearing where the judge is considering enforcement options for contempt fines, including sequestration of assets and a garnishee order against Burke's salary, with Burke given 14 days to make submissions before a ruling.
accused, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burke - 21 Jan2025Attorney General could apply to sequester Enoch Burke’s assets on foot of court fines, judge told
Reports on a High Court hearing before Mr Justice David Nolan in which the Attorney General's position on sequestering Burke's assets was discussed, along with the ongoing situation of Burke attending the school in breach of a court order and the judge's indication he was minded to double the daily fine to €1,400.
accused, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burke - 21 Jan2025Attorney General tells High Court he may bring application to sequester Enoch Burke's assets
Adds that the Attorney General may bring a sequestration application in the public interest, that a garnishee order against Mr Burke's salary was also discussed, and that the judge gave Mr Burke 14 days to make submissions. Mr Burke has continued to attend the school in breach of a court order.
convicted, Enoch Burke, male, Irish, named, irishEnoch Burke - 21 Jan2025Enoch Burke given time to make contempt fine submissions
Adds the judge's estimate of about €190,000 owed, the two-week deadline for submissions, the enforcement options discussed (sequestration and garnishee orders), and the Attorney General's possible role in enforcement proceedings.
suspect, Enoch Burke, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burke - 7 Jan2025School could return to court to have Enoch Burke sent back to jail after he again defies court order
Burke defied the court order again on 6 January 2025; the school may seek his reimprisonment; the daily fine was doubled from €700 to €1,400 when he was released in December; the case is listed for mention in the High Court this month; Burke remains on full pay pending an appeal on his dismissal.
suspect, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burke - 1 Apr2023Judge Rejects Enoch Burke's Claim In Email To Court He Was 'Mocked And Ridiculed'
Judge rejected Burke's email claim of being mocked and ridiculed.
suspect, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burke