British Actor Convicted of Assaulting Two Teens Found Dead in Prison at 54

John Alford, a British actor who had a history of unlawful behavior, was found dead in prison, according to the BBC. He was 54.

The disgraced actor — known for the BBC series Grange Hill and the ITV series London’s Burning — was jailed two months prior to his death on Friday, March 13, after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting two underage teen girls.

“As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate,” a Prison Service spokesman told the BBC after Alford was found dead at HMP Bure in Norfolk, England.

According to The Sun, Alford (born John James Shannon) was found unresponsive on his bed when staff opened his cell Friday. Medics were reportedly called to the scene.

“He didn’t wake up in the morning,” a source told the publication. “He was in his bed and they thought he was just asleep.”

“But when they tried to wake him there was no response and they realised he was dead,” the source added.

The Mirror reported that Alford was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison in January for child sex crimes that took place in 2022 involving two girls, who were 14 and 15 at the time.

Alford was accused of buying a bottle of vodka for the two teens, which they drank at a friend’s house in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, before assaulting them.

Aflord, who had previous run-ins with the law, was reportedly convicted on two counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child, one count of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault.

During his sentencing, Aflord reportedly cried and told the jury, “I haven’t done this.”