The cause of death of John Alford has been disclosed. The actor, who was convicted of four counts of sexual activity with a child, as well as two counts relating to a second female of sexual assault and assault by penetration, was discovered dead in his prison cell in March at the age of 54.
The former television star, who stood trial under his real name of John Shannon, rose to prominence on Grange Hill before becoming more widely recognised for his role in London's Burning, though his television career faded more than 25 years ago, after which he worked as a roofer, scaffolder and taxi driver.
Inquest Findings
Following an inquest opening, Alford's cause of death has now been officially recorded as ischaemic heart disease, indicating that he suffered either a heart attack, a fatal arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death.
Just weeks into an eight-and-a-half year sentence for child sex offences, the former actor was found dead in his bed at HMP Bure in Norfolk - a category C prison that holds male sex offenders.
Denial Until the End
From the moment of his arrest in 2022, the Grange Hill actor denied assaulting two teenage girls at a sleepover in 2022. During his police interview, Alford furiously denied touching either girl, insisting: 'None of this makes sense. It's a set-up. I didn't rape anyone. I am not a nonce. This is f****** scandalous.'
In court, he declared that he would maintain his denial 'until the day I die'. Little did anyone know how close death was.
Tried under his real name of John Shannon, last September he was convicted of four counts of sexual activity with a child, as well as two counts relating to a second female of sexual assault and assault by penetration. The court heard how he plied his young victims with booze before taking the 14-year-old's virginity in the garden and toilet - despite her repeatedly saying no. He then molested the 15 year old against her will as she was falling asleep.
He claimed he had been outside when the then 14 year old was suddenly 'sitting on my lap with her arms around me, trying to kiss me. I recoiled, I stood up... I literally had to prise her off'.
Weeping while giving evidence in court, he told jurors he 'never touched either of them girls', adding there was 'no DNA' evidence and suggested he was the victim of a blackmail plot. He described a phone call he supposedly received on April 10, 2022, from 'an Irish-sounding traveller-type voice'.
'He said "Is that John? Do yourself a favour and come to Broxbourne car park, Hoddesdon",' Alford claimed. 'I said something stupid like "I'm with my children". Then he said to bring the money and I said to f*** off.'
However, after hearing the harrowing testimony of his victims - and finding no evidence of any supposed phone call - jurors rejected his account. As the guilty verdicts were delivered, he buried his head in his hands, protesting: 'Wrong, I didn't do this!' He was jailed in January.
