Jailed actor died of heart disease, inquest reveals

A former London's Burning and Grange Hill actor who died in prison two months after he was sentenced for sexually assaulting two teenagers died of ischaemic heart disease, an inquest has heard.

John Alford, whose real name was John Shannon, died at HMP Bure near Badersfield in Norfolk on 13 March while serving an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

The 54-year-old's inquest opened at Norfolk Coroner's Court on Tuesday, with his provisional cause of death given as ischaemic heart disease (IHD), also commonly known as coronary heart disease.

A full inquest into his death is due to take place on 15 February 2027.

Alford, of Holloway in north London, stood trial at St Albans Crown Court in September last year for sexual assaults on two girls, aged 14 and 15, in Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire in April 2022.

He was jailed on 14 January after he was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with the younger girl, and of sexual assault and assault by penetration on the older teenager.

A Prison Service spokesperson previously told the BBC: "John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate."

Alford joined popular BBC's TV school drama Grange Hill where he starred as Robbie Wright from 1985 to 1989.

His best known role was firefighter Billy Ray in the ITV drama London's Burning in 1993.

Alford was sacked from the show and jailed for nine months after he was convicted of supplying cocaine and cannabis to an undercover News of the World journalist in 1997.

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