Searxng/John Alford Celebrity British actor John Alford, known for Grange Hill, dies in prison at 54 while serving sentence for sexual assault of teenage girls. March 15, 2026 AceShowbiz - John Alford, the British actor known for roles in Grange Hill and London's Burning, has died in prison at age 54. He passed away while serving an eight-and-a-half-year sentence following convictions for sexually assaulting two teenage girls. John Alford, who had reverted to his birth name John Shannon after his acting career declined, was sentenced in January 2026.