Actor John Alford guilty of sex assaults on girls

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John Alford said he "never touched" either of the teenage girls who accused him, but the jury disagreed

 John Alford has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two teenage girls.

The London's Burning star had denied sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl at a friend's house in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in April 2022.

The 53-year-old, of Holloway, north London, had been standing trial under his real name of John Shannon.

Appearing at St Albans Crown Court, Alford put his head in hands and shouted "wrong, I didn't do this" from the dock as the verdict was read out. He was told to expect a jail term when he is sentenced in December..

Alford played Billy Ray in the ITV fire brigade drama and Robbie Wright in the BBC's school series Grange Hill.

Prosecuting barrister Julie Whitby said both girls were drunk when the attacks happened.

She said Alford knew they were under 16, but he claimed in court that he "never touched" either girl.

The court heard that on 9 April 2022, Alford bought about £250 worth of food, alcohol and cigarettes from a nearby petrol station in the early hours of the morning.

This included a bottle of vodka which the victims subsequently drank.

Alford said he had been drinking with the friend at a nearby pub, and the girls were at the house having a sleepover with the friend's daughter.

The younger girl said Alford had sex with her in the garden and in the downstairs toilet.

Jurors were shown a video of the 14-year-old's police interview, in which she stated she had been raped.

The girl told the court she did not know Alford prior to the attack and had never had sex before.

"I told him to stop because I didn't want to have sex with an old man," she said.

She told police she asked him to stop "three or four times".

Both girls did not say anything about the alleged assaults immediately after they happened as they had been drinking "a fair amount of vodka", Ms Whitby said.