Former 1990s television star John Alford has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting two teenage girls during a sleepover, marking a devastating fall from grace for the once-popular actor.
A Shocking Downfall from Fame
John Alford, 54, from Holloway, north London, was found guilty of multiple serious sexual offences following a trial at St Albans Crown Court in September. The actor, who rose to fame playing Robbie Wright in the BBC school drama Grange Hill, was convicted of sexually assaulting two girls, aged 14 and 15, at a friend's house in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in April 2022.
During the sentencing hearing, the court heard how Alford had purchased alcohol, including vodka, from a nearby petrol station in the early hours before assaulting the intoxicated teenagers. He was found guilty on two counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of penetrative sexual activity of a child, assault by penetration and sexual assault.
As the verdicts were read out, Alford, who was charged under his real name John Shannon, put his head in his hands and shouted "wrong, I didn't do this" from the dock.
The 'Sleepover' Assaults
Recorder Caroline Overton detailed the events of the night, stating the attacks occurred while the girls were enjoying a sleepover at a friend's house during the Easter holidays. After other adults went to bed, Alford went to a garage at around 4.30am and bought approximately £269 worth of food, alcohol, and cigarettes.
The prosecution stated that Alford then had sexual intercourse with the 14-year-old girl in the garden and later in a downstairs toilet. He subsequently inappropriately touched the 15-year-old as she lay half-asleep on a sofa. The court heard the girls had been recording TikTok videos earlier in the evening.
Recorder Overton told Alford: "You were the one remaining adult. You were a trusted family friend and you were fully aware the girls were 14 and 15 years of age." She emphasised that the house should have been "a safe environment" for the teenagers.
A Troubled Career and Personal Spiral
Alford's journey to this conviction is a story of a promising career derailed by personal demons. After attending the prestigious Anna Scher stage school from age 11, he found fame on Grange Hill in 1985. However, he struggled with the spotlight and developed severe alcohol and gambling problems, reportedly spending up to £80,000 on drink and betting by the time he left the show at 17.
His adult career peak came with the role of firefighter Billy Ray in ITV's London's Burning from 1993 to 1998. He also launched a brief singing career, scoring three Top 30 singles in 1996.
His professional life collapsed in 1999 when he was convicted of supplying drugs after being entrapped by the News of the World's 'Fake Sheikh', Mazher Mahmood. Alford was sentenced to nine months in jail and claimed he was subsequently blacklisted from acting. He later received a £500,000 settlement from the newspaper's publishers.
In the years that followed, Alford struggled to find consistent work, taking jobs as a roofer, scaffolder, and mini-cab driver, and at times living on benefits. He also accrued a string of convictions, including for drink-driving in 2006 and assaulting a police officer in 2018.
Mitigation and Sentencing
In mitigation, Alford's barrister told the court his client had been diagnosed with ADHD and other mental health issues and now recognised he had a lifelong problem with alcohol which he had never properly addressed. The court heard Alford is a father to four children, aged between five and 19.
The barrister also stated that Alford was likely to be targeted in prison because of "who he is." The jury returned its guilty verdicts after 13 hours of deliberation. Alford had previous convictions, though none for sexual offences.
Passing the eight-and-a-half-year sentence, the judge emphasised the severity of the breaches of trust and the vulnerability of the victims. John Alford's story concludes not as a tale of faded celebrity, but as a stark legal judgment for crimes that have irrevocably damaged lives and ended his own liberty.
