London’s Burning and Grange Hill actor John Alford found dead in prison

The actor, 54, who starred in Grange Hill and London’s Burning was found dead at HMP Bure in Norfolk.

Alford, whose real name was John Shannon, was sentenced two months ago to eight-and-a-half years in prison for sexually assaulting girls aged 14 and 15.

A Prison Service spokesman confirmed the death to the BBC and said in a statement: “John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”

Alford was found guilty on four counts of sexual activity with the younger girl, and of sexual assault and assault by penetration on the older teenager.

The offences took place in April 2022 in Hertfordshire.

Jurors heard that both girls had been drinking alcohol and were drunk following a night out at a pub.

The trial heard that the girls had drunk a bottle of vodka bought by Shannon as part of £250 spent on food, alcohol and cigarettes.

The offences occurred at the home of a third girl, whose father was friends with John.

Jurors heard Shannon then had sexual intercourse with the 14-year-old in the garden and later in a downstairs toilet.

He also inappropriately touched the 15-year-old who was half asleep on the living room sofa.

In 1985 he joined the popular BBC Children’s series Grange Hill, playing Robbie Wright and was in the show until 1989.

In 1993 when he joined the cast of ITV drama London’s Burning during its sixth series in which he played firefighter Billy Ray.

He gained so much fame that he even launched a pop career inn 1996.

But Alford was sacked from the show and jailed for nine months after he was convicted of supplying cocaine and cannabis to an undercover News of the World journalist in 1997.

Shannon denied the charges and shouted out “wrong, I didn’t do this,” after being found guilty.

A cause of death has not been given.