Retired nun tells court she no longer feels safe after intruder entered her home

By Claire Henry

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, including 142 for theft and 50 for criminal damage.

Detective Garda Shane Donovan told Richard Wixted BL, prosecuting, that on December 12, 2024, Delaney entered a music school twice within a short period of time. On his second time entering the school, he went to the music room and stole four guitars. Gardai were notified, and Delaney was identified from CCTV footage. A search warrant was issued, and his home was searched.

The court heard that during the search of his home, Delaney was cooperative and admitted that he had taken the guitars from the school, selling them for €120. Two of the guitars taken by Delaney belonged to a teacher who said they had a combined value of €770.

Det Gda Donovan agreed with Gregory Murphy, BL, defending, that Delaney made admissions, and offered an apology saying “If I could get the guitars back, I would”.

Detective Garda Dylan Higgins told Judge Dara Hayes that gardai were asked to attend a hotel located in Dublin 4 on January 15, 2025. They were informed that a man staying in the hotel woke at 3 am to find an intruder in his ground floor hotel room. The injured party shouted at the intruder, later identified as Delaney, who fled the scene. A phone worth €200 was taken by Delaney and never recovered.

Det Gda Higgins agreed with defence counsel that his client left immediately upon the injured party waking up and that he committed thefts to fund his drug addictions.

Detective Garda Patrick Collins told the court that gardai were contacted by a property management company that looked after The Pines, Herbert Park. Dublin 4. The company had received reports that post and packages had been interfered with. Delaney was identified on CCTV and arrested shortly after.

On August 6, 2025, gardai attended the Grand Hotel in Dublin 4. An employee of the hotel went into her office and noted that a laptop and tablet had been taken. They had a combined value of €1,653. A week later, at the same location, a resident who had stayed in the hotel the night prior went to his car in the morning and found the passenger window of his car had been smashed. CCTV footage of both offences was viewed, and Delaney was identified.

On the night of September 1, 2025, a night nurse was on duty at a nursing home in Sandymount when, at 9 pm, she noticed a man going in and out of residents’ bedrooms. The nurse confronted the man, later identified as Delaney and asked him why he was there. He said he was there to visit a resident, but the nursing home had no one by that name living there.

Det Gda Collins said that Delaney entered the bedroom of seven sleeping residents on the night in question. The nursing home was required to report the matter to HIQA and to upgrade its security protocols. Upon arrival, gardai viewed CCTV footage and Delaney was identified a short time later.

The following day, the final incident occurred at a house on Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge. A woman who was staying in the house woke to find an intruder in her room at 1.20 am. The intruder, who was again identified as Delaney, fled the scene immediately. The gardai were notified straight away, and Delaney was apprehended very quickly.

The court was told that the home belonged to a religious order and that retired nuns were present there. Delaney was on bail for all five offences when he committed all of the above offending.

Sister Julie Doran read her own victim impact statement to the court, which said: “I am a retired Catholic Sister, and throughout my years abroad, I have worked selflessly in West Africa and the Middle East. “

She said since the incident “I no longer feel safe in my own home.” She noted having ongoing anxiety especially at night and that her safety has been undermined.

She said the emotional impact has gone far beyond the financial loss incurred.  Sister Doran concluded by saying “I have dedicated my life to serving others and I find it deeply upsetting that in my retirement years my home would be violated like this”.

Det Gda Collins agreed with the defence that the early guilty pleas were of value to the gardai and the injured parties involved in all the offences. The garda also agreed that Delaney had fallen out with his own family, which had made him spiral even more into stealing items to fund his addiction.

Mr Murphy said his client is a lifelong addict who has been in prison for the majority of his adult life.

Counsel said Delaney wants to stay clean and find employment. He said Delaney is currently serving a nine-month sentence with a release date of September 2026.

He said Delaney is someone who has had a very tough life, some of which was self-imposed.

He asked the court to structure a sentence what would aid in rehabilitation.

Judge Dara Hayes said this is clearly serious offending and these convictions will take Delaney to over 350 convictions. The judge said this offending concerns the bedrooms of ten different people which is very serious.

Judge Hayes adjourned the case until July 27 next and directed the preparation of a probation report.