'London's Burning Star John Alford Found Dead in Cell, Investigation Underway'

LONDON’S Burning disgraced star John Alford was found dead in his cell bed by prison staff.

It comes as the authorities have launched an investigation into the .

John Alford was found dead on his cell bed by prison staffCredit: David New – The Sun Alford found fame as fireman Billy Ray in London’s Burning in the 1990sCredit: PA An investigation has been launched into his death by the authoritiesCredit: PA

He was unresponsive on his bed when staff opened his cell door on Friday at Category C HMP Bure near and medics were called.

Alford, 54, died in months after being jailed for sexually assaulting two teenage girls.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: “He didn’t wake up in the morning.

“He was in his bed and they thought he was just asleep.

“But when they tried to wake him there was no response and they realised he was dead.”

He was caged for eight-and-a-half years in January after he was found guilty of the assaults which occurred during a party at a friend’s home.

The former actor, who appeared in the drama Grange Hill, was convicted 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 at a property in on April 9 2022.

After Alford’s death was first revealed by , a Prison Service spokesman said: “John Shannon died in prison on March 13 2026.

“As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”

Jurors heard during the trial that the defendant, charged under his real name John Shannon, sexually assaulted the girls while they were drunk following a night out at the pub.

St Albans Crown Court heard that Alford bought some £250 worth of food, alcohol and cigarettes from a nearby petrol station, including a bottle of vodka which the victims subsequently drank.

He then had sexual intercourse with the 14-year-old girl in the garden of the home and later in a downstairs toilet and inappropriately touched the 15-year-old girl as she lay half asleep on the living room sofa.

received a third-party report from the 15-year-old girl’s mother outlining the allegations two days later, before the defendant was arrested.

The 15-year-old girl said in her evidence she had felt “absolutely sick” following the assault and had planned to keep the incident secret before having a “mental breakdown” to her friend’s mother on April 11.

Alford told jurors during the trial that all the allegations were “scandalous” and a “set-up”, and that there was no evidence to support the assaults.

He said he had told police that the girls were “going to extort ” from him, and that he suffered from mental issues including anxiety, and paranoia.

Glasgow-born Alford got his big break after training at The Anna Scher Theatre stage school in North London alongside stars Sid Owen and .

He landed the role of rebel Robbie Wright on BBC’s Grange Hill when he was 13, starring alongside Simone Hyams and George Christopher.

Up to eight million watched the show and Alford was part of the cast involved in its anti-drugs campaign, singing with others in its widely-played single “Just Say No”.

Towards the end of his Grange Hill stint, Alford later admitted he was drinking up to 18 bottles of and nine spirits shots a night.

He earned a new army of fans as fireman Ray in London’s Burning from 1993 to 1998.

It drew audiences of 18million on Sundays and was ITV’s longest-running drama behind Corrie and .

Its popularity allowed Alford to launch a short-lived pop career and he had three Top 30 hits and a performance on Top Of The Pops.

His record label dropped the wannabe star in 1997 before his fourth single could be released.

Father-of-two Alford was sacked from London’s Burning two years later after he was convicted for supplying cocaine and .

He served six weeks of a nine-month sentence in 1999.

On his release, he worked as a roofer, scaffolder and cabbie to make ends meet.

He broke back into acting in the 2001 film Mike Bassett: England Manager, before trying his hand at reality TV in Trust Me: I’m A Beauty Therapist two years later.

In 2006, he was caught drink driving.

He secured minor roles in BBC’s in 2008 and 2009, and played a guard in 2017 film The Hatton Garden Job alongside and Joely Richardson.

Alford failed to land any more showbiz work after being nicked for resisting a officer while sitting in a Camden Council bin lorry in September 2018.

He later admitted criminal damage.

He claimed his drugs conviction effectively led to him being “blacklisted” which, he said, had a “detrimental impact on my mental health and my outlook, trust, paranoia”.

Alford’s deepest disgrace came in April 2022 after a report to police that aged 14 and 15, at Hoddesden, Herts.

They had been at a pub before heading to the home of a pal whose dad had been drinking with Alford.

The actor bought £250 worth of food, booze and cigarettes from a petrol station, including vodka the girls drank later, a trial at St Albans crown court was told.

Once left alone with the girls, Alford had sex with the younger girl in a garden and a toilet.

The trial heard he asked her “Do you want this babe?” to which she answered “No”.

He assaulted the other teen twice while she was “dozing off” on the sofa.

Jurors were told he did not know the girls but was “in no doubt” they were under age.

Alford was reported to police two days later by the mum of one of the girls.

When arrested, he told cops: “This stinks.

“This is a set-up.”

He fought back tears in court, claiming he “never touched” either girl.

He told jurors: “I have been accused of the most horrific anyone can ever be accused of.

“I didn’t do anything inappropriate.”

The older .

The other said the assault “affected me and my family in every way”.

Alford, who had been in a psychiatric hospital before his September 2025 trial, was convicted under his real name, John Shannon.

He was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with the 14-year-old and sexual assault and assault by penetration involving the older girl.

Alford, who denied all wrongdoing, yelled at the jurors: “Wrong, I didn’t do this” as the verdict was read out.

Friends from the Islington area of North London, where he lived, are said to have turned their backs on him following his conviction.

One source said: “He got hold of someone’s children and ruined their lives — that’s just disgusting.”

Sentencing him in January, Recorder Caroline Overington told him: “You were a trusted family friend and fully aware that the girls were 14 and 15 years of age.

“You have shown a lack of acknowledgement of your offending and showed little remorse.”

HMP Bure near Norwich, where Alford was serving his sentence Alford, left, first found fame as Robbie in Grange Hill, seen here with George Christopher as ZiggyCredit: Alamy