Paedo London’s Burning and Grange Hill star John Alford died penniless in prison with no will

SHAMED paedo actor John Alford died penniless in prison with no will, The Sun can reveal.

The former London’s Burning and Grange Hill star, 54, died of heart disease in his cell at HMP Bure in Norfolk on March 13.

He was two months into an eight-and-a-half-year sentence for sexually abusing two underage girls at a party.

Probate records show Alford — real name John Shannon — left no will and his entire estate was valued at only £200.

His official address on the paperwork is listed as HM Prison Bure, in Badersfield, Norwich.

Letters of administration signed off by the High Court gave relative Angela Shannon, of Enfield, north London, the rights to deal with his estate on behalf of the fallen actor’s son.

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“He was in his bed and they thought he was just asleep.

Glasgow-born Alford shot to fame as a teenager playing tearaway Robbie Wright in teen drama Grange Hill.

He starred in the BBC school series for five years alongside Simone Hyams and George Christopher, and took part in the cast’s 1986 anti-drugs single Just Say No.

He landed his best-known role in 1993 as fireman Billy Ray in ITV‘s London’s Burning.

The part made him a household name and he launched a short-lived pop career.

He saw three singles reach the Top 30 in 1996, including a cover of Blue Moon that hit No9.

But his career came crashing down when he was sacked from London’s Burning in 1998.

He was jailed for nine months the following year for supplying drugs.

Alford later had roles in Mike Bassett: England Manager, Casualty and The Hatton Garden Job before returning to living under his real name in Holloway, north London.

In January he was jailed at St Albans Crown Court after being convicted of four counts of sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl.

He was also convicted of sexual assault and assault by penetration against a 15-year-old.

The court heard the dad-of-two had been drinking at a pub with the father of a friend of the girls before returning to the family’s home in Hoddesdon, Herts, on April 9, 2022.

He went to a nearby petrol station and came back with a bottle of vodka, cigarettes and food.

Once alone with the girls, he asked the 14-year-old to sit on his lap in the garden and began kissing and touching her.

He then had sex with her, before targeting her again in a downstairs toilet.

Giving evidence, the younger victim said: “Most children, if an adult is telling you to do something, you’ll do it… especially if you are drunk or impaired.”

Alford also performed a sex act on the 15-year-old while she was “dozing off”.

Asked how she felt afterwards, she told the court: “I felt absolutely sick. I wasn’t going to tell anyone.”

The girls did not speak out straight away because they had drunk “a fair amount of vodka”.

Sentencing, Recorder Caroline Overington said: “The girls were in what should have been a safe environment, you returned to this house after a night at the pub.

“You were a trusted family friend and fully aware that the girls were 14 and 15 years of age.

“You have shown a lack of acknowledgement of your offending and showed little remorse.”

Alford shook his head as he was sent down.

He was told he would serve up to two thirds of the sentence in custody and the rest on licence.