An Irish court has reserved its judgment in a Christian teacher's appeal against orders to stay away from a County Westmeath school.

Enoch Burke defied injunctions imposed by the High Court last August and September ordering him not to enter Wilson's Hospital School in Multyfarnham, pending the outcome of a disciplinary process. 

He was suspended from the school after he refused to use the pronoun 'they' instead of 'he' as requested by a transgender student and their parents. 

He was imprisoned in September for contempt of court after continuing to go to the school and sit in an empty classroom, claiming that he was there to work. He was later released in December. 

Burke, defending himself, told the Court of Appeal this week that "transgenderism" went against his Christian beliefs, which were guaranteed by the constitution. 

He argued that the pronoun request from the school was "unlawful" and that "under no circumstances" could his behaviour "be portrayed as gross misconduct". 

Mark Connaughton SC, representing the school, told the court that Mr Burke was suspended because he had behaved unprofessionally and not because of his religious beliefs. 

Judgment was reserved at Thursday's hearing.