He's Burke vengeance

ENOCH Burke returned to Wilson's Hospital School yesterday morning - less than 24 hours after he was released from Mountjoy Prison.

- BY DANNY DE VAAL

The sacked teacher was dropped off near the school in Co Westmeath shortly after 9.15am and walked up the rural road towards the gates.

He managed to get just inside the school gates before he was prevented from entering any further by a security guard.

At this point, Burke turned to the media and spoke for around 20 minutes.

Burke had been in jail since late November for breaches of a court order directing him not to trespass at the school.

Last week, he sought a temporary injunction against a disciplinary appeals body tasked with reviewing his dismissal from the school.

Before the High Court on Wednesday, Mr Justice Brian Cregan said Burke had raised "substantive" and "credible" issues in papers prepared against the Disciplinary Appeals Panel (DAP).

The judge said he was directing that Burke was to be released from prison for "one reason and one reason only" - in the interest of the administration of justice, and so he has time to prepare for his case against the DAP.

He said his release was on the condition that Burke does not trespass on the school's property, and that if he does, the school should come to the High Court, and he will have "no hesitation in bringing him back to prison".

Burke, who appeared before the court by videolink, indicated to the court several times that he would attend Wilson's Hospital School when released.

Speaking outside the school yesterday, Mr Burke said: "This is what I'm faced with again this morning. Mr Justice Cregan knew well this morning that this is what I would be up against when I come to this school.

"He knew where I'd be this morning.