Paedophile basketball coach Bill Kenneally, who was serving a jail term for assaulting 10 boys in Waterford in the 70s and 80s, has died behind bars10:00, 18 Jun 2026Updated 10:37, 18 Jun 2026Convicted paedophile Bill Kenneally, who used his position as a basketball coach to abuse teenagers, has died in prison aged 75.‌Kenneally was serving a jail term at Midlands Prison after pleading guilty to indecently assaulting 10 boys in Waterford, Ireland, in the 70s and 80s.‌The notorious sex offender had part of his leg amputated earlier this year and had been receiving palliative care for a number of weeks.‌Kenneally had served more than 10 years of his 19-year sentence for the sexual assault of 15 boys between 1979 and 1990.He died in Midlands Prison in Port Laoise, Ireland, at 3.30am on Thursday, June 18.Kenneally's death comes a week after a South East Commission of Investigation report into the handling of his case was published.‌The investigation looked at the response of gardaí, Basketball Ireland, politicians and members of the Catholic Church to allegations made about his sexual abuse.The report revealed that two senior Garda officers as well as a retired politician and senior clergyman became aware of Kenneally's activities in the late 1980s.He was only brought to justice in December 2012 when a formal complaint was made.‌In his evidence to the public inquiry, chaired by retired judge Michael White, Kenneally explained he told two senior gardaí in the boardroom of a Garda station on December 30, 1987, "what I was doing".The report found there was a "clear and serious dereliction of duty" by Gardaí.On Tuesday, June 16, some of his victims met with Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan and afterwards they said he committed to a full state apology, which they hope will be issued in the coming weeks.‌Colin Power, one of Kenneally's victims, spoke after the news of the sexual offender's death broke.He said he is "glad" his abuser lived to see a state apology granted and that he had served 10 years of his sentence."I’m just glad he saw us being vindicated," Mr Power added.Article continues belowThe Irish Prison Service has confirmed there was a death of a person in custody at Midlands Prison.It said all deaths in custody "are investigated by the Irish Prison Service, the Inspector of Prisons and An Garda Síochána, where circumstances warrant".The cause of death will be determined by the Coroner’s Office and next of kin have been informed.