Enoch Burke has been jailed for 300 days following a fall-out with his school. Read More:He's been at the centre of a trans rights scandal in Ireland for the past two years - and now Enoch Burke's father and brother have become embroiled in their own legal battles.
In recent months, Enoch's father and brother have faced legal issues of their own - after the family passionately supported the teacher during various hearings in Dublin's Four Courts. Sean allegedly assaulted Garda Victoria Fisher on 7 March 2023, the same day his son's case was taken to the Court of Appeal.Sean's assault charge was deemed a minor offence that is only tried at district court level by a judge.
Earlier this week, Enoch's younger brother Simeon Burke had his conviction for a 'volatile' breach of peace during one of the teacher's hearing at the Four Courts overturned. Simeon - who was also representing himself - had previously been convicted under Section 6 of Public Order, which states that the person had engaged in 'threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace'.
Over the past two years, the father-of-10 has been vocal in his support for Enoch and stood outside Wilson's Hospital School in December 2023 with a sign reading: 'Christmas in Mountjoy for Christian teacher.' That same month, Sean was joined by his wife Martina - who founded the Burke Christian School in Castlebar - and two of their children to protest at Ballinrobe Community School on the day it was being visited by Norma Foley, the Minister for Education.
Burke's sister Ammi is forcibly removed from the Court of Appeal in March 2023 for interrupting a judgment being read out Judge Birmingham asked her to sit down, and then requested that gardaí remove her from the courtroom. According to the former deputy head, Burke – whose 'forte' was said to have been extracurricular debating – spoke for a 'good five to eight minutes'.
In 2022, Ammi had attended a meeting between Enoch and his former employer, which determined if he was going to be suspended or face any kind of disciplinary. According to Mr Galligan, there were growing concerns 'about what next protest might and the form it would take' in the new school year.