London’s Burning actor John Alford jailed for sexually assaulting teenage ladies | EUROtoday

Former London’s Burning and Grange Hill actor John Alford has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years after he was discovered responsible of sexually assaulting two teenage ladies.

The 54-year-old was discovered responsible of 4 counts of sexual exercise with the youthful woman, aged 14, and costs of sexual assault and assault by penetration regarding the second teenager, aged 15, at a property in Hertfordshire in 2022.

Jurors heard throughout the trial that the defendant, charged beneath his actual title, John Shannon, sexually assaulted the ladies whereas they have been drunk following an evening out on the pub.

All of the offences came about on the residence of a 3rd woman.

The former actor, who appeared within the BBC drama Grange Hillpurchased some £250 value of meals, alcohol and cigarettes from a close-by petrol station within the early hours of the morning, together with a bottle of vodka which the victims subsequently drank, the courtroom heard beforehand.

Alford then had sexual activity with the 14-year-old woman within the backyard of the house and later in a downstairs bathroom, and inappropriately touched the 15-year-old woman as she lay half asleep on the lounge couch, jurors heard.

Police obtained a third-party report from the 15-year-old woman’s mom outlining the allegations two days later, earlier than the defendant was arrested.

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The 15-year-old woman mentioned in her proof that she had felt “absolutely sick” following the assault and had deliberate to maintain the incident secret earlier than having a “mental breakdown” to her buddy’s mom.

Alford advised jurors throughout the trial that each one the allegations have been “scandalous” and a “set-up”, and that there was no DNA proof to help the assaults.

He mentioned he had advised police that the ladies have been “going to extort money” from him, and that he suffered from psychological well being points, together with anxiousness, melancholy and paranoia.

The youthful woman mentioned in a press release learn to St Albans Crown Court throughout sentencing on Wednesday that being sexually assaulted has “affected me and my family in every way”.

The older woman mentioned in her impression assertion: “This man destroyed my mental wellbeing.”

Mohammed Bashir, defending, mentioned the defendant “is a man with no similar type of offences in his conviction history”.

He added: “The impact upon the girls has been great but it’s important to note that in that time Mr Shannon has not committed any further offences.”

Recorder Caroline Overton mentioned the sufferer impression statements advised of the “significant and ongoing impact of your offending on their lives”.

Alford shook his head from the dock as Ms Overton outlined the offences earlier than sentencing.

She advised the defendant his focus “has remained throughout on the impact to you and to your family”.

Ms Overton sentenced Alford to eight and-a-half years in custody, and advised him he’ll serve as much as two-thirds in custody and serve the rest on licence.

She additionally advised the defendant he could be topic to a restraining order and he or she made a sexual hurt prevention order.

Alford was beforehand convicted of supplying illicit medication to former News of the World journalist Mazher Mahmood, who was generally known as the “fake sheikh”, following a trial in 1999, and was jailed for 9 months.

Jurors heard he additionally obtained a fee of £500,000 from the information organisation in relation to allegations that his telephone had been hacked.

Alford was satisfied by Mahmood to satisfy a faux Arabian prince at London’s Savoy resort in 1997 on the promise of receiving new performing roles and profitable public appearances, earlier than later being requested to supply cocaine for the person.

He later filed lawsuits in opposition to the News of the World and its editors with claims that he was subjected to landline wire-taps, voicemail hacking and the wide-ranging theft of his private information to be used of their headline tales.

Mahmood was jailed in 2016 for tampering with proof within the collapsed medication trial of pop star Tulisa Contostavlos, which led to Alford’s conviction being examined by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Lawyer Chris White, for the Crown Prosecution Service, mentioned: “John Shannon was fully aware of the girl’s ages, yet he chose to exploit them – giving them alcohol and then committing sexual offences against them.

“We commend the victims for reporting what happened. They were supported to give evidence against Shannon: their statements were recorded and played to the jury during the trial, and we arranged for screens to be provided so they did not have to face the defendant during cross-examination.

“Shannon’s sentence today sends a clear message – we will pursue those who target young people for their own gratification.”