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Three-strike burglar Sean McNamara jailed for yet another break-in at a house in Norfolk Road, Canterbury

Sneaky Sean McNamara – who used a child's plea "Can I have my ball back please?" to carry out a raid - has been shown a red card by a judge.

The 21-year-old used the ruse to sneak into the home of Olivia Cunnington in Norfolk Road, Canterbury in May.

Canterbury Crown Court heard McNamara claimed he had accidentally kicked his football into her back garden.

Serial burglar Sean McNamara
Serial burglar Sean McNamara

When she went to look, the serial thief took the opportunity to steal a brand-new sat nav.

Now, McNamara – who is a "three-strike" burglar – has been sent down for 29 months for the break-in.

Under the three-strike rule, a burglar convicted of three break-ins during separate appearances at court faces a minimum sentence of three years unless it would be "unjust".

Prosecutor Donna East said Ms Cunnington told McNamara she could not find the missing ball and advised him to contact her neighbour.

McNamara stole a sat nav in the bungled burglary
McNamara stole a sat nav in the bungled burglary

But the bungling burglar was then spotted in next door's garden, where he dropped a bag containing the stolen sat nav and his passport.

McNamara, of City View, Canterbury, then had the nerve to later return to the scene of the crime and demand the bag.

The prosecutor said the sat nav was later discovered missing and the police were alerted.

The case was heard at Canterbury Crown Court
The case was heard at Canterbury Crown Court

Officers arrested the thief who said he had never been to Norfolk Road, never owned a passport - and even claimed he had bought the sat nav from a lookalike pal called Tom.

McNamara, who had already been jailed as a three-strike burglar in 2011, has now been returned to prison.

Phil Rowley, defending, said McNamara had come from a dysfunctional family and had "a very difficult life estranged from his mother and father".

Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl. Picture: Chris Davey
Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl. Picture: Chris Davey

He said: "He has done the crime and he knows he must take his medicine."

Mr Rowley also said McNamara, who had been remanded in custody awaiting sentence, felt life in Elmley Prison was tough because staffing cuts meant he was locked away for 23 hours a day.

He also wasn't able to attend classes inside prison because there was a long waiting list for courses because of financial cutbacks.

Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl told him: "I have sympathy because of the way things are in prison but you had a choice of carrying on with your profession of burglary or mending your ways."

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