John Alford, the actor once celebrated for his roles in the ITV drama London’s Burning and the BBC’s Grange Hill, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two teenage girls at a friend’s house in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. The verdict, delivered on September 5, 2025, at St Albans Crown Court, marks a dramatic and tragic fall from grace for the 53-year-old, who was tried under his real name, John Shannon.
The case centered on events that took place on April 9, 2022. According to BBC News and other outlets, Alford purchased approximately £250 worth of food, alcohol, and cigarettes from a nearby petrol station in the early hours of the morning. Among the purchases was a bottle of vodka, which the two teenage victims—aged 14 and 15—later consumed. Prosecuting barrister Julie Whitby emphasized that both girls were drunk at the time of the assaults, a detail that would become central to the prosecution’s argument.
Alford, who had been socializing with a friend at a local pub, found himself at the house where the two girls were staying overnight with the friend’s daughter. The court heard that a “bit of a party” atmosphere prevailed, though Alford denied that any such gathering took place. According to the prosecution, the girls' intoxication made them especially vulnerable.
The younger girl, aged 14, told jurors in a video-recorded police interview that she did not know Alford before the incident and had never had sex before. She described being raped by Alford in the garden and again in a downstairs toilet. Her testimony was harrowing: “I told him to stop because I didn’t want to have sex with an old man,” she said, stating that she asked him to stop “three or four times.” The girl’s account remained consistent throughout the investigation and trial, as reported by BBC News and Sky News.
The older victim, aged 15, recounted that Alford sexually touched her as she lay half asleep on a living room sofa. “We were all just like dozing off. That was when John started to touch me,” she told the court. She admitted feeling “absolutely sick” afterward and initially did not want to tell anyone about the assault. It was the 15-year-old’s mother who reported the allegations to police two days later, triggering the investigation.
Throughout the week-long trial, Alford steadfastly denied all charges. He insisted, “I never touched either of them girls,” and during his testimony, he broke down in tears, saying, “No DNA. I didn’t touch them. I think science proves me not guilty.” Alford also suggested the allegations were part of a “set-up” or an extortion plot, claiming that one of the girls had told him she was 17 and kept trying to kiss him. However, as reported by Liverpool Echo, police found no evidence of such a plot on the phones of either the victims or the defendant.
Despite his protests, the jury deliberated for more than 13 hours before returning a majority verdict of 10 to two, finding Alford guilty on four counts of sexual activity with the 14-year-old and guilty of sexual assault and assault by penetration relating to the 15-year-old. The courtroom witnessed an emotional scene as Alford put his head in his hands and shouted, “Wrong, I didn’t do this,” upon hearing the verdict.
Alford’s legal history was also brought to light during the trial. Jurors were told that, while he had no previous convictions for sex offenses, he did have a criminal record. In 1999, he was convicted of supplying drugs after being lured to a hotel by News of the World journalist Mazher “Fake Sheikh” Mahmood, who posed as an Arabian prince and secretly filmed Alford supplying cocaine and cannabis. The judge in that earlier case acknowledged an element of entrapment, and Alford was subsequently jailed for nine months. He also had convictions for disorderly behavior, drink-driving, causing criminal damage, and obstructing a police officer.
The aftermath of his drug conviction had a profound impact on Alford’s life and career. He told the court he had been “blacklisted” as an actor, struggling with mental health issues and alcohol problems. In a twist of fate, Alford later received a £500,000 settlement from News of the World’s publishers after legal action over phone hacking. “Solicitors got most of it,” he remarked during the trial, according to BBC News.
Following the guilty verdict, Judge Recorder Caroline Overton granted Alford conditional bail ahead of his sentencing, scheduled for December. The bail conditions are strict: a daily curfew between 18:00 and 06:00, mandatory reporting to a police station on Mondays and Fridays, and a prohibition on contacting anyone under 18 except for his own family members. The judge warned Alford that he had been convicted of “very serious matters” and should expect a custodial sentence.
The case has drawn significant public attention, not only because of Alford’s celebrity status but also due to the disturbing details revealed during the trial. The prosecution underscored that both victims were under the legal age of consent and that Alford was fully aware of their ages. The girls’ intoxication, their vulnerability, and the calculated nature of the offenses left a lasting impression on the jury and observers alike.
For many, the story is a sobering reminder of the darker side of fame and the enduring trauma experienced by victims of sexual assault. The verdict also serves as a testament to the persistence and courage of the two young women who came forward, despite the immense emotional toll and public scrutiny.
As the sentencing date approaches, the public and media await to see the final outcome for John Alford—a man once known for his on-screen heroics, now facing the reality of a very different kind of judgment.
