London’s Burning actor John Alford found dead in prison two months after being jailed for sexual assault | UK News

London’s Burning actor John Alford has died in prison two months after he was jailed for sexual assault.

In January the actor was given an eight-and-a-half year sentence, having been found guilty of sexually assaulting two teenage girls in 2022.

Alford, real name John Shannon, rose to fame in the BBC’s Grange Hill, before starring as Billy Ray in ITV’s firefighter drama London’s Burning in the 1990s.

A prison service spokesperson said: “John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”

Alford was convicted of multiple sexual offences

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.