John Alford, the British actor known for roles in Grange Hill and London's Burning, has died in prison at the age of 54. He was serving an eight-and-a-half-year sentence for sexual offences against two teenage girls.
A Prison Service spokesman confirmed his death, stating: 'John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.' Alford had reverted to his birth name, John Shannon, after his acting career.
Alford was convicted in January 2026 of four counts of sexual activity with a 14-year-old, and charges of sexual assault and assault by penetration relating to a 15-year-old girl. The offences occurred in Hertfordshire in 2022, and he was tried at St Albans Crown Court.
This was not his first encounter with the law. In 1999, he was jailed for nine months for supplying drugs after a sting by the News of the World and reporter Mazher Mahmood. He was also convicted of drink-driving in 2006, and in 2018 pleaded guilty to resisting an officer, receiving a community order.
Born in Norfolk on 30 October 1971, Alford rose to fame playing Robbie Wright in the BBC children's soap Grange Hill. He later played fireman Billy Junfan Ray in ITV's London's Burning for five years, but was fired after his 1999 conviction. His later work included minor film roles and a reality TV appearance.
