The discovery of his death has now triggered a formal investigation, which is standard procedure in situations involving deaths inside prison custody.
Actor Found Unresponsive In Prison Cell
Alford, whose legal name was John Shannon, was discovered lying in his bed during routine morning checks carried out by prison staff.
“John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026,” a prison spokesperson said in an official statement. “As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
Reports suggest that officers initially believed he was simply asleep before realizing something was wrong when he failed to respond.
Jailed Earlier This Year For Offences Involving Teenage Girls
Alford had been sentenced in January at St Albans Crown Court to eight years and six months in prison after being convicted of offences involving two girls aged 14 and 15.
Prosecutors said the incidents took place in April 2022 after the teenagers had been drinking during a night out.
They later ended up at a property in Hertfordshire where Alford was staying with a friend.
During the trial, jurors were told that the actor purchased £250 ($330) worth of food, alcohol, and cigarettes from a nearby petrol station.
The purchase reportedly included a bottle of vodka that the girls later consumed.
During the trial, the girl told the court that she felt “absolutely sick” after the assault.
She had originally planned to keep the incident secret before later suffering what she described as a “mental breakdown” and confiding in a friend’s mother on April 11.
Later, he found renewed fame during the 1990s when he joined the ITV drama London’s Burning as firefighter Billy Ray.
He joined the series in 1992 and appeared for six seasons.
Court records later revealed additional convictions over the years, including offences such as disorderly behavior, drink driving, criminal damage, and obstructing police officers.
Alford had previously claimed that the drug conviction caused him to be “blacklisted” within the acting industry.
