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High Court Hears Moving Enoch Burke To Castlerea Prison Was 'Lawful'

Thursday, 12 March 2026 16:35

Judgement on the matter has been reserved to next Wednesday.

The High Court has heard a decision to move Enoch Burke from Mountjoy to Castlerea Prison was lawful.

The teacher will find out next week if his challenge against the transfer has been successful.

On the 1st of March, Enoch Burke was moved from Mountjoy, where he had been detained since January, to Castlerea Prison.  

He has since argued this was in breach of a court order for his committal.  

Today, the High Court heard details of an affidavit on behalf of the governor of Mountjoy Prison.  

The court was told the move was approved for a number of reasons, including Mr Burke’s own safety and overcrowding issues.  

It heard the transfer was lawful, despite Mr Burke’s claims it had no legal basis given it was permitted under the Criminal Justice Act, and he is detained on a civil matter.  

The court was told he fell under the definition of “prisoner” given within the act. 

Mr Burke was offered the opportunity to purge his contempt of court and agree not to trespass on the grounds of Wilsons Hospital School, but he did not wish to do so. 

Judge Brian Cregan said from his perspective “it is a tragedy” the teacher is “wasting” his life on this “and wasting 600 days in prison”.  


Judgement on the matter has been reserved to next Wednesday.

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