Former television actor John Alford has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage girls. The offences took place in April 2022 at a house in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, where the girls, aged 14 and 15, were present after consuming alcohol supplied by Alford.
The court heard that Alford, whose real name is John Shannon, bought alcohol for the teenagers before carrying out multiple sexual offences. Jurors found him guilty of four counts of sexual activity involving the younger girl, as well as sexual assault and assault by penetration against the older teenager.
During sentencing at St Albans Crown Court, the judge said the offences had caused lasting and serious harm to both victims. Prosecutors stated that Alford was fully aware of the girls’ ages and deliberately exploited them by providing alcohol before committing the assaults.
Alford denied the allegations throughout the trial and claimed he was the victim of a set-up, telling jurors there was no DNA evidence to support the accusations. Despite his defence, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges.
The court was told that the assaults had a devastating impact on the victims’ mental wellbeing and family lives. Statements read during sentencing described long-term emotional trauma and distress caused by the offences.
Alford, who previously appeared in popular television dramas during the 1980s and 1990s, had earlier criminal convictions unrelated to sexual offences. The judge concluded that a lengthy custodial sentence was necessary due to the seriousness of the crimes and their lasting impact on the victims.
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