Glasgow-born former London’s Burning star John Alford has been found guilty of sexually assaulting girls aged 14 and 15 at a friend’s home.
London Burning’s John Alford found guilty of sexually assaulting girls at friend’s home (Image: PA)
A Scots actor famed for his role in London’s Burning has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two teenage girls at a friend’s home.
Glasgow-born John Alford, 53, has been found guilty at St Albans Crown Court of sexually assaulting girls aged 14 and 15 at a friend’s home.
On April 11 2022, police had received a third-party report from the 15-year-old girl’s mother outlining the allegations, jurors were previously told. The defendant was then arrested the following day after both girls were interviewed, reports the Mirror.
In a statement provided to the force, Alford said one of the two girls “kept on trying to kiss me” and had told him she was 17 years old. He added: “At no point did I touch her in any sexual way whatsoever.”
Alford, of Holloway, north London, previously told the court the allegations he abused the girls were a “set-up”.
John Alford was found guilty(Image: PA)
The actor, real name John Shannon, was accused of four counts of sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl and two counts concerning a second girl, then aged 15, of sexual assault and assault by penetration.
He denied the offences and told a trial at St Albans Crown Court that he “never touched” either of the girls.
The two girls who made the allegations said the actor assaulted them at a home in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in April 2022. Jurors heard how a “bit of a party” was taking place at Alford’s friend’s home and the two girls were there.
The 14-year-old girl said she had sex with Mr Alford in the garden and in a toilet. Alford told the trial: “It didn’t happen. No.” The 15-year-old said the actor sexually touched her. Alford claimed he “never touched either of them girls”.
He cried and told the jurors: “I haven’t done this.” The actor also said: “I have thought a million times, why would they do this?”
The actor told jurors the 14-year-old ‘kept trying to grope’ him, but he told her ‘in no uncertain terms, “no”.’
“It was quite obvious she was very drunk and being very flirtatious,” he said. “I recoiled, didn’t reciprocate in any way, shape or form at any time.”
He went on to say he drank most of a bottle of vodka and was “getting well drunk”, but didn’t “lose my morals no matter how drunk I am.”
“I have been accused of the most horrific crime anyone can ever be accused of. I didn’t do anything inappropriate,” he said to the trial.
John Alford is known for his role in London’s Burning (Image: Express Newspapers)
The actor first shot to fame as a teenager when he landed the role of Robbie Wright on Grange Hill. The star played the role in the seminal BBC show for five years.
He starred alongside Simone Hyams and George Christopher and took part in the anti-drugs single Just Say No. From 1993 and 1998, he appeared in the long-running series, London’s Burning, as Billy Ray.
The actor had a role in the film Mike Bassett: England Manager, Casualty and Brit flick The Hatton Garden Job and even had a short-lived pop career – with three singles reaching the UK Top 30.
These included debut single Smoke In Your Eyes, followed by Blue Moon and Only You. Away from the screen, Alford worked as a scaffolder and minicab driver.
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