John Alford, the actor known for roles in Grange Hill and London's Burning, has died in prison at the age of 54, two months into an eight-and-a-half-year sentence for sexually assaulting two teenage girls. The Prison Service confirmed his death at HMP Bure in Norfolk on Friday.
Alford, whose real name was John Shannon, was convicted in January 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 assaults occurred during a party at a friend's home in Hertfordshire in 2022.
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 a downstairs toilet, and inappropriately touched the 15-year-old as she lay on a sofa. The 15-year-old said she felt 'absolutely sick' and had a 'mental breakdown' before reporting the incident.
Alford denied the allegations, calling them 'scandalous' and a 'setup', and claimed there was no DNA evidence. He had previous convictions dating back to 1999, including for drug supply, which he said led to him being 'blacklisted' as an actor.
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate the death, as is standard for all deaths in custody. The cause of death has not been released, and current thinking suggests no one else was involved.
