A former Mountjoy Governor has advised both Martina and Ammi Burke to 'keep your heads down' while in prison. 

Yesterday, the mother and sister of Enoch Burke were sentenced to two weeks in prison for contempt of court by Mr Justice Brian Cregan of the High Court. 

The two women have repeatedly and loudly interrupted court proceedings relating to Mr Burke’s efforts to resume his teaching career, following his suspension from Wilson Hospital’s School.

Addressing the court, Mr Justice Cregan said it was “long past time for the court to call a halt to this family circus".

Neither of the women were in court and a warrant has been issued for their arrest. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, former Mountjoy Governor John Lonergan predicted the pair would find prison a “culture shock”. 

 He added that the experience of incarceration is currently significantly worse than in previous years, due to overcrowding. 

“Five, six, seven years ago they would have been guaranteed a single room and had the privacy of that,” he explained. 

“But nowadays they certainly won't be guaranteed a single room or single cell occupancy.

“So, it's a shock to the system and they are going to be treated like everybody else.” 

Isaac, Seán, Martina and Ammi Burke. Picture by: PA.

Within the prison system, there are various categories of prisoners. 

The largest is those who have been convicted and have already been sentenced. 

There are also people who have been remanded in custody; they have not been convicted of any crime but awaiting trial. 

Then those who are have been returned for trial; they have been through the district court but have been returned for a jury trial. 

There are also prisoners, like the Burkes, who are being held for contempt of court. 

“The two women involved that he ordered yesterday to be imprisoned, they're being imprisoned on the basis of their behavior in court,” Mr Lonergan said. 

“So, they're sentenced to a specific term, a fixed term of 14 days. 

“Enoch Burke is indefinite and won't be released until he purges his contempt - which he can do at any time.

“Because of that, then he has certain status in the prison system; every facility must be made for it to enable him to have direct contact as regular as possible with his legal advisors and has an opportunity to purge his contempt at any time.” 

Martina Burke. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie.

Mr Lonergan continued that the Burkes’ sentence was a “very short period of time” and they will be unlikely to encounter any great hardship during their time behind bars. 

“Most people would be able to cope with 14 days because they know, going in, that in 13 more days, they’ll be out again,” he said. 

“In reality, the day they go in and the day they come out are counted as two days.

“So, they're already really there for 12 days and my advice would be just keep your head down and go and do the 14 days - and that's it.” 

Mr Lonergan added that despite their high profile in the media, as they are not involved in crime, it is “very unlikely that they would feel any hostile reaction in prison”. 

“They'd be accepted into the prison community on the basis that they are maybe seen as very conscientious people on that basis,” he predicted. 

“So, they wouldn't be in fear or there would be no danger to them, in my opinion.”

Main image: Martina Burke and her daughter Ammi Burke. Picture by: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie.