‘Bressie’s Teenage Kicks’ star jailed for 12 months for theft on probation

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, aged 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 reoffend.

McNamara, who was previously described by another judge as “a one-man theft industry”, was not smiling as he was led away in handcuffs to prison.

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.

Yesterday, he pleaded guilty at the district court to stealing laptops, satellite navigation systems, wallets, groceries, and even a postman’s bicycle.

On April 14, 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 Rd, Limerick, to commit a theft.

The budding music artistalso pleaded guilty to stealing a postman’s bike at Esso Service Station, Ennis Rd, 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.”

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.

She said he works well with the probation services and is said by them to be “very pleasant” to deal with.

Ms Ryan told the court McNamara has a “drug problem” and “abuses tablets”.

In April, McNamara was given the probation act after he pleaded guilty to breaking into several houses, schools and 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 of arochial House in Moyross.

Judge Marian O’Leary yesterday jailed McNamara for 12 months.