‘I no longer feel safe in my own home’: Retired nun gives evidence as man pleads guilty to burglary

A man with 346 previous convictions broke into a nursing home, two hotels, a music school and the home of retired nuns, a court has heard.

Keith Delaney (41) pleaded guilty to multiple counts of theft, one count of criminal damage and two counts of burglary at various locations around Dublin between December 2024 and September 2025.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told that Delaney, formerly of Spencer Dock, North Wall, Dublin, has 346 previous convictions, with all but two of his convictions from the District Court.

Det Gda Shane Donovan told Richard Wixted BL, prosecuting, that on December 12th, 2024, Delaney entered a music school twice and stole four guitars. Gardaí were notified and Delaney was identified from CCTV footage.

Det Gda Dylan Higgins told Judge Dara Hayes that gardaí were asked to attend a hotel located in Dublin 4 on January 15th, 2025. They were informed that a man staying in the hotel woke at 3am to find an intruder in his ground floor hotel room.