John Alford, the actor best known for his role in the ITV drama London's Burning, has died in prison at the age of 54. He was serving an eight-and-a-half-year sentence for sexually assaulting two teenage girls.
Alford, whose real name was John Shannon, was found dead at HMP Bure in Norfolk on Friday, just two months into his sentence. The Prison Service confirmed his death and said an investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been launched.
In January, Alford was convicted of four counts of sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl and charges of sexual assault and assault by penetration relating to a 15-year-old girl. The offences took place at a friend's home in Hertfordshire in 2022 after a night out at a pub.
During the trial, St Albans Crown Court heard that Alford bought £250 worth of food, alcohol and cigarettes, including vodka, which the victims drank. He then had sex with the 14-year-old in the garden and later in a downstairs toilet, and inappropriately touched the 15-year-old as she lay half-asleep on a sofa.
Alford denied the allegations, calling them “scandalous” and a “setup”. He had previous convictions dating back to 1999, including for drug supply, which he claimed led to him being “blacklisted” as an actor. Alford also appeared in the BBC show Grange Hill as Robbie Wright from 1985 to 1989.
