London’s Burning Star Accused: Scots Actor Allegedly Assaults Two Teen Girls

Allegations claim John Alford committed the assaults at a home.

A court has heard that a Glasgow-born actor allegedly sexually molested two teenage girls during a social gathering.

John Alford, 53, an actor known for his roles in ‘Grange Hill’ and ‘London’s Burning’, faces accusations of preying on two girls, both under the age of 16.

The court was informed that Alford, who is being tried under his birth name John Shannon, had sexual relations with one of the girls in various locations including a garden and a restroom, and committed a sexual act on the second girl, fully aware that both were minors.

Alford faces six charges in total, including two counts of non-penetrative sexual activity with a person under 16, and two counts of penetrative activity with a person under 16.

Additional allegations include assaulting a girl aged 13 or over by penetration with a body part and sexual assault on a female, according to a report by the Mirror.

The incidents are reported to have occurred on April 9, 2022, at St Albans Crown Court.

Prosecutor Julie Whitby stated that Alford, a father of two, denies any sexual activity took place and mentioned telling one of the teenagers “no”.

It is alleged he assaulted both girls after visiting a home in Hertfordshire, where one of the girls’ friends, also a minor, resided.

According to Ms. Whitby, there was “a bit of a party” happening at the time with drinking, chatting, and mingling.

The 14-year-old girl, unable to reach her mother, had called an Uber to take her home after others had left the property around 12:30 AM.

Alford reportedly arrived with the father of the third girl around 2 AM and was left alone with the alleged victims after others had gone to sleep, during which he inquired about their ages.

Ms. Whitby highlighted that Mr. Shannon was fully aware that both girls were under 16, describing the situation as them thinking they were merely spending an evening with a family friend.

He then left briefly to visit a petrol station, returning with a bottle of vodka, and after stepping outside to smoke, he asked the 14-year-old to sit on his lap, which she found “a bit strange”.

Subsequently, he is accused of kissing and touching her before engaging in sexual intercourse. Ms. Whitby noted, “She didn’t say stop beforehand, but she didn’t want it to happen.”

It is alleged that he had sexual intercourse with her again in a downstairs bathroom after pulling her towards him. Ms. Whitby added, “He asked her ‘Do you want this babe?’ and she said, ‘no’.”

He is also accused of sexually assaulting another 15-year-old girl. Both victims initially kept quiet about the incidents as they had consumed “a fair amount of vodka”, according to the prosecution.

Police were later alerted by a third-party report from the mother of the 15-year-old on April 11, 2022, the jury was informed.

Following their interviews with both girls, Alford was arrested the next day. In his statement to the police, he claimed one of the girls “kept on trying to kiss me” and had told him she was 17.

He maintained, “At no point did I touch her in any sexual way whatsoever.”

He also suggested that the two alleged victims were “trying to extort money from him and they were trying to trick him”, though no evidence supporting this claim was found on his or the girls’ phones when examined.

The trial, initially scheduled to begin in December 2024, was postponed as the court learned that Alford had been hospitalized.

Appearing for his rescheduled trial, Alford wore a white shirt and used headphones. The trial is ongoing.

Alford first gained recognition as a teenager portraying Robbie Wright in the BBC series ‘Grange Hill’ for five years. From 1993 to 1998, he was part of the cast of the long-standing series ‘London’s Burning’ as Billy Ray.

His subsequent roles included appearances in ‘Casualty’ and films such as ‘Mike Bassett: England Manager’, and ‘The Hatton Garden Job’.

He also pursued a brief music career, releasing three singles that entered the UK Top 30 charts.

Outside of his acting and music career, he has worked as a scaffolder and a minicab driver.