Former Actor John Alford Dies in Prison

0:00On March 14th, former actor John Alfred has died in prison at the age of 54. He passed away at H&P Buray in Norfolk, just two months after starting an eight-and-a-half year sentence for sexually assaulting two teenage girls. Alfred, whose real name was John Shannon, was convicted of attacking the girls, who were 15 and 14 years old at the time. The case drew attention due to his past fame on British television. He rose to prominence in the 1980s and 90s, starring as a schoolboy in the popular show Grange Hill, and later as a firefighter in, London's Burning. Those roles made him a household name back then. A prison service spokesperson confirmed the death happened on March 13th, 2026. They noted that all deaths and custody trigger a review. An investigation by the prisons and probation ombudsman is now underway with more details expected as the inquiry progresses.