Star of RTÉ Bressie show jailed for string of thefts and burglaries
A rapper who starred alongside pop star Bressie in an RTÉ reality show, has been given a 12-month 'rap on the knuckles' by a judge.
Calvin McNamara, 18, was given a year in jail after pleading guilty to a litany of thefts and burglaries, which he carried out while he was subject to a previous court order not to re-offend.
McNamara, who was previously described by another judge as "a one man theft industry", was led away in handcuffs to prison.
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The young criminal, who had 18 previous convictions, shot to fame alongside other aspiring singers and musicians in the RTÉ programme 'Bressie's Teenage Kicks'.
Despite having been given a chance to avoid jail last April and comply with the probationary services, McNamara, from Hartigan Villas, Moyross, went on another crime spree around his native Limerick.
Today, he pleaded guilty at the District Court to stealing laptops, sat navigation systems, wallets, groceries, and even a postman's bicycle.
On April 14, 2015, he entered Limerick Institute of Technology and stole a wallet, a sat nav, and a laptop worth €600.
He returned to the college the following day and stole another laptop worth €600.
On April 24, McNamara stole €7 worth of groceries from Eurospar, Watch House Cross, Limerick.
On May 5, he entered JFK School, Ennis Road, Limerick, to commit a theft.
The budding rap artist, who had 18 previous convictions for theft, also pleaded guilty to stealing a postman's bike at Esso Service Station, Ennis Road, Limerick.
Sergeant Donal Cronin of Henry Street garda station said McNamara had been subject to a six-month probation order for "numerous charges".
"These included numerous charges for theft, burglaries, criminal damage, drugs, unlawful taking (if a vehicle), trespassing, firearms and offensive weapons, between October 2013 and January 2015," Sgt Cronin added.
Solicitor Sarah Ryan said McNamara "sees an opportunity and takes it", but never intended to commit any of his crimes.
"He's an opportunist," she told the court.
"He's a difficult young man to work out what's going on inside his head. He works well with the probation services and is said by them to be 'very pleasant' to deal with," Ms Ryan added.
She told the court McNamara has a "drug problem" and "abuses tablets".
Last April, McNamara was given the probation act after he pleaded guilty to breaking into several houses and schools as well as a hospital.
He also pleaded guilty to charges of criminal damage, trespass and possession of various implements, including an iron bar and a glass shattering tool.
McNamara, who committed most of the offences while still a juvenile, also stole a number of mobile phones, laptops and a Trocaire money box from the Parochial House in Moyross.
He also admitted stealing a 60” television, a copper cylinder, two iPhones from Caherdavin girls school; a handbag worth €50 from St Camillus’ Hospital, a Samsung mobile phone and a wallet from St Munchin’s Girls School; an IBM laptop from Corpus Christi NS, Moyross, a bike from Mayorstone garda station and a Dell laptop from the Northside Learning Hub in Kileely.
Today, Judge Marian O'Leary jailed McNamara for 12 months.
