A LIMERICK heroin addict with almost 160 previous convictions had his criminal record extended when he broke in to a hairdressing salon thinking it was a pharmacy.
At Limerick Circuit Court, Michael McNamara (42) with an address in Cedar Court, Kennedy Park, was sentenced to a year in prison for a string of robberies he committed while on bail last January.
Last May he was jailed for three and a half years for a string of burglaries he committed while high on drugs and looking to feed his habit. On Wednesday of last week, he was taken from Limerick Prison to the Circuit Court after he pleaded guilty to further offences.
On January 6, he was on bail after he was charged with a number of burglaries including one at a hairdressing salon in Raheen where he and an accomplice broke down the back door in the mistaken belief they were robbing a pharmacy.
On the same day, McNamara robbed a handbag from a shopper at the Aldi store on the Dublin Road when she turned away from her trolley. He made off with her purse containing cash and cards with another man who helped in the theft.
He was subsequently identified from CCTV footage.
Eight days later, he was arrested after breaking in to a Spar shop by throwing a brick through a window to gain entry. The shop was ransacked and extensive damage was caused.
He was remanded in custody and admitted to the handbag theft when he was questioned by Gardaí.
At the recent sentencing hearing, Judge Tom O’Donnell said that McNamara had a long list of previous convictions which dated back to when he was just 11 years old.
He had 43 previous convictions for burglary; 92 for theft related offences and 14 for criminal damage. He was a “chronic drug user involved in criminality to feed his habit”.
The 12 month sentence imposed by Judge O’Donnell is to be served after he completes the three and half year sentence handed down last May.
