Actor John Alford jailed for sex assaults on teen girls

Actor John Alford was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting two teenage girls.

The former London’s Burning and Grange Hill star committed the offenses against a girl aged 14 and 15 at a friend’s home in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in April 2022.

The 54-year-old man, real name John Shannon, from Holloway, north London, stood trial at St Albans Crown Court and was found guilty in September.

The jury found him guilty of four counts of sexual activity with the younger girl and one count of sexual assault and assault by penetration involving the older teenager.

Alford played Billy Ray in the ITV drama London’s Burning and Robbie Wright in the BBC series Grange Hill.

Both girls were at home when he arrived after drinking with the owner at a nearby bar.

The court heard Alford gave the girls alcohol and knew they were under 16.

According to the little girl’s statement, Alford had sex with her in the garden of the house and in the toilet.

The former actor sexually touched the older girl, who was half asleep on the living room couch.

Jurors were told two days later police received a report from the 15-year-old boy’s mother outlining the allegations.