Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 2622Sexual assault · Co. Kerry

Josephine McMahon, convicted of sexually abusing two boys in Kerry, dies in hospital

Josephine McMahon, 70, who was sentenced to two and a half years in 2023 for sexually assaulting two boys in Co Kerry between 1992 and 1996, died of a suspected heart attack in hospital on 1 January 2025 after being transferred from Dochas women's prison over Christmas.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatJosephine McMahon, 70, died of a suspected heart attack in hospital on 1 January 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe boys were aged between four and five and between eight and 12 at the time of the abuse (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMcMahon produced a wooden spoon and inserted the handle in the younger boy's anus (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMcMahon ran the boy a bath as he was bleeding and repeatedly told him it was his own fault (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMcMahon started to undress around the boy and asked him if he wanted to touch her (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatOn the second occasion of sexual assault, McMahon urinated in the boy's bath (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA third sexual assault of a similar nature occurred in one of the bedrooms (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe younger complainant struggled with addiction issues as a teenager and had suicidal thoughts (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe older brother was abused on a number of occasions when aged between eight and 12 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMcMahon touched the older boy inappropriately, often when passing each other in a narrow hallway (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMcMahon exposed herself to the older boy in the toilet and threatened him with the wooden spoon (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereShe was transferred from Dochas women's prison in Dublin to hospital over Christmas (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe abuse took place at an address in Kerry on dates between 1992 and 1996 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe Irish Prison Service confirmed a death in custody at the Dochas Centre on 01 January 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationAll deaths in custody are investigated by the Irish Prison Service, the Inspector of Prisons and An Garda Síochána (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMs Justice Karen O'Connor sentenced McMahon (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe maximum sentence for the offence at the time was five years (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMcMahon's health had significantly deteriorated and she would require dialysis in the coming months (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMichael Bowman SC was defending McMahon (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMcMahon has no previous convictions, lives an isolated life, and has diabetes and kidney disease (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 2 Jan2025
    Otheririshmirror.ie, follow-up
    Elderly woman who abused boys dies in hospital on New Year's Day

    Reports the death in custody of convicted sex offender Josephine McMahon on 1 January 2025, with extensive background on the original abuse, the 2023 guilty plea and sentencing, and victim impact statements from both complainants.

    convicted, Josephine McMahon, 70, female, named, irish (judged from name)Josephine McMahonvictim, malevictim, male