Actor John Alford guilty of sexually assaulting two girls

Actor John Alford has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two teenage girls.

The London’s Burning star had denied sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl at a friend’s house in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in April 2022.

The 53-year-old, of Holloway, north London, had been standing trial under his real name of John Shannon.

Appearing at St Albans Crown Court, Alford put his head in hands and shouted “wrong, I didn’t do this” from the dock as the verdict was read out.

Alford played Billy Ray in the ITV fire brigade drama and Robbie Wright in the BBC’s children’s series Grange Hill.

Prosecuting barrister Julie Whitby said both girls were drunk when the attacks happened.

She said Alford knew they were under 16, but he claimed in court that he “never touched” either girl.

The court heard that on 9 April 2022, Alford bought about £250 worth of food, alcohol and cigarettes from a nearby petrol station in the early hours of the morning.

This included a bottle of vodka which the victims subsequently drank.

The younger girl said Alford had sex with her in the garden and in the downstairs toilet.

The older girl said Alford sexually touched her as she was half asleep on the living room sofa.

The actor denied this while giving evidence during his trial saying “not at all… I never touched either of them girls”.

He began to cry as he told jurors: “I haven’t done this.

“No DNA. I didn’t touch them. I think science proves me not guilty.”

After 13 hours of deliberations the jury concluded they did not agree.

Alford was found guilty on four counts of sexual activity with the younger girl and charges of sexual assault and assault by penetration relating to the second teenager.

Jurors at St Albans Crown Court were told that Alford had a number of previous convictions – although none for sex offences – and had been to jail.

They heard that he had been convicted of supplying drugs in 1999 and was given a nine-month prison sentence.

Alford had been lured to a hotel by News of the World journalist Mazher Mahmood, who was posing as an Arabian prince, and secretly filmed supplying cocaine and cannabis, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

The judge at Snaresbrook said there had been an element of entrapment in the case.

Alford told jurors in St Albans that he had been “blacklisted” as an actor following that conviction.

St Albans’ jurors also heard Alford had been convicted of disorderly behaviour, drink driving, causing criminal damage and obstructing a police officer.

Alford also said he had suffered mental health difficulties and had problems with alcohol.

Jurors were told, that after legal action, he had received a £500,000 settlement from the News of the World’s publishers, after complaining that his phone had been hacked.

During the St Albans trial, he said “solicitors got most it”.