Stephen McDermott

THREE MEMBERS OF the Burke family have been banned from attending High Court cases involving Enoch Burke in person for repeatedly interrupting courtroom proceedings.

Judge Brian Cregan made the ruling in relation to Isaac, Ammi and Martina Burke in a judgment this morning.

The ruling affects any High Court cases “directly or indirectly” involving Enoch Burke and his dismissal by Wilson’s Hospital School, the Disciplinary Appeals Panel (DAP), the Minister for Education and the Disciplinary Panel of the Teaching Council.

The Burkes will still be allowed to dial into court hearings remotely, but Judge Cregan said breaching the prohibition by attending in person would be considered contempt of court.

The judge issued the ruling after a series of interruptions during the teacher’s cases involving Enoch Burke and Wilson’s Hospital that have been heard since the end of last year.

Judge Cregan said that the order is “narrow in its scope” and only restrained the three members of the Burke family from attending in person.

“The behaviour of the Burkes is indefensible and unacceptable in a court of law,” Judge Cregan said in his concluding remarks.

He described their behaviour as “an affront to the administration of justice” and said it would no longer be tolerated by the courts.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.