\n Convicted paedophile John Alford, who found fame playing a firefighter in the ITV drama London’s Burning, died aged 54 at HMP Bure near Badersfield on March 13 this year.\n<\/p>\n
\n A provisional cause of death has now been publicly recorded as ischaemic heart disease, following an inquest opening.\n<\/p>\n
\n The disease stops the heart getting enough oxygen rich blood because the arteries have become narrowed or blocked.\n<\/p>\n
\n It means Alford suffered either a heart attack, a fatal arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death.\n<\/p>\n
\n HMP Bure (Image: Newsquest)\n<\/p>\n
\n HMP Bure (Image: Newsquest)\n<\/p>\n
\n The actor had been sentenced in January to eight years and six months in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage girls. He died less than three months into the sentence.\n<\/p>\n
\n Alford was one of the most recognisable young television stars of the 1980s and 1990s. He first found fame as rebellious schoolboy Robbie Wright in the BBC children\u2019s drama Grange Hill, appearing in the programme between 1985 and 1990.\n<\/p>\n
\n His popularity led to him becoming one of the faces of the Government-backed Just Say No anti-drugs campaign and charity single in 1986.\n<\/p>\n
\n He later joined the cast of ITV\u2019s London\u2019s Burning, where he played firefighter Billy Ray between 1993 and 1998, cementing his place as a familiar face on British television.\n<\/p>\n
\n However, his career unravelled in the late 1990s and he was dismissed from London\u2019s Burning and later jailed following a tabloid newspaper sting operation involving drugs.\n<\/p>\n
\n In recent years he had reverted to using his real name, John James Shannon – the name used by area coroner Johanna Thompson to confirm his identity when an inquest was opened at Norfolk Coroner’s Court today (Tuesday, June 16)\n<\/p>\n
\n HMP Bure (Image: Newsquest)\n<\/p>\n
\n During proceedings, HMP Bure was given as his usual address and his place of death.\n<\/p>\n
\n The category C prison, located near Badersfield in north Norfolk, houses adult male offenders.\n<\/p>\n
\n Ms Thompson said prison officer Clarke had formally identified the deceased, who was born in Glasgow on October 30, 1971.\n<\/p>\n
\n The hearing was told his occupation was actor.\n<\/p>\n
\n Because Alford died while in state detention, a full investigation is required to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.\n<\/p>\n
\n The opening hearing lasted only a few minutes before the coroner adjourned proceedings to allow further inquiries and reports to be completed.\n<\/p>\n
\n Area coroner Johanna Thompson (Image: The Coroners’ Society)\n<\/p>\n
\n A full inquest is due to be held at the court on September 11 at 10am.\n<\/p>\n
\n Further evidence concerning the circumstances of the disgraced star’s death is expected to be heard when the inquest resumes.\n<\/p>\n
\n Alford was convicted of four counts of sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl and charges of sexual assault and assault by penetration relating to a 15-year-old girl at a property in Hertfordshire on April 9, 2022.\n<\/p>\n
\n Jurors heard during the trial that he sexually assaulted the girls while they were drunk following a night out at the pub.\n<\/p>\n
\n St Albans Crown Court was told that Alford bought \u00a3250 worth of food, alcohol and cigarettes from a nearby petrol station, including a bottle of vodka which the victims subsequently drank.\n<\/p>\n
\n John Alford died in a Norfolk prison after his heart stopped (Image: Jordan Pettitt\/PA Wire)\n<\/p>\n
\n He then had sexual intercourse with the 14-year-old girl in the garden of the home and later in a downstairs toilet, and inappropriately touched the 15-year-old girl as she lay half asleep on the living room sofa.\n<\/p>\n
\n Police received a third-party report from the 15-year-old girl\u2019s mother outlining the allegations two days later, before the defendant was arrested.\n<\/p>\n
\n The 15-year-old girl said in her evidence she had felt \u201cabsolutely sick\u201d following the assault and had planned to keep the incident secret before having a \u201cmental breakdown\u201d to her friend\u2019s mother.\n<\/p>\n
\n Alford told jurors during the trial that all the allegations were \u201cscandalous\u201d and a \u201cset-up\u201d, and that there was no DNA evidence to support the assaults.\n<\/p>\n
\n He said he had told police that the girls were \u201cgoing to extort money\u201d from him, and that he suffered from mental health issues including anxiety, depression and paranoia.\n<\/p>\n
\n The jury rejected this and found him guilty. The younger girl said in a statement that being sexually assaulted had “affected me and my family in every way”.\n<\/p>\n
\n In her impact statement, the older girl said “this man destroyed my mental wellbeing”.\n<\/p>\n
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