The rarely-seen star looks more youthful than ever
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There was once a time when we saw Cheryl on our screens almost every day, but now, the star rarely shares a glimpse into her life. So, when the 42-year-old does treat us to an appearance, we immediately feel nosy. This week, the mum-of-one broke her 3-month-long social media break to give us an update on her skin. Specifically, on an affordable serum she’s been using twice a day.
In a new clip posted to her Instagram, Cheryl shows herself make-up free and applying Nivea’s Cellular Epigenetics Age Rewind Face Serum, usually £34 but currently on sale for £17.49. Considering how youthful her complexion looks, we can definitely say the serum is working for her.
If you missed the buzz when it launched last year, Nivea’s Age Rewind Serum has proved to be a big step up for the brand, and that’s largely down to the fact that the formula was 15 years in the making. The hero ingredient, epicelline, is clinically proven to help “rewind” cellular skin age in as little as two weeks by nudging older skin cells to behave more like younger ones. In practical terms, it’s designed to go beyond surface smoothing and actually improve how skin functions over time.
The lightweight serum is said to target ten common signs of ageing, from fine lines and wrinkles to loss of firmness, elasticity and moisture. In Nivea’s trials, 93% of users noticed their skin looked more plumped after just seven days, and after four weeks, every participant reported a more youthful-looking complexion.
Cheryl, who partnered with the brand for the launch, is clearly on board. She describes the Age Rewind Serum as “trust in a bottle” and says it’s a brand she’s relied on for as long as she can remember.
“My skincare routine has been through every phase, from chasing trends to finally figuring out what really works,” she says. “This new serum is a total game-changer. It’s smart, it’s gentle, and it brings back that youthful, radiant glow we all love and remember.”
That sense of familiarity is part of the appeal here. Age Rewind is tapping into more advanced skin science, but it still feels approachable and easy to use– something Boots shoppers definitely agree with.
One review titled “Magic in a bottle!” highlights how the affordable buy has become a must-have for the user. They pen: “It’s the perfect lightweight serum that my skin needed to reverse the initial signs of ageing. It absorbs into the skin super fast and has light fragrance that makes the skincare experience even better!”
“After using this serum for a couple of weeks now, I really see and feel the difference. My skin is more plump, moisturised and overall just looks better. Nivea serum has a perfect consistency; it is lightweight, which makes it a perfect choice for a base for makeup or cream. I would buy this product again, and I’m happy to replace my old serum with Nivea cellular epigenetics age rewind serum,” another writes.
A third adds: “Has a creamy consistency, absorbs fast on my skin and makes it hydrated, plump and smooth. I can see improvement in the fine lines around my eyes and forehead. Is a great product which will be part of my routine.”
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A few reviewers deducted points for the smell of the serum, which some say isn’t “too pleasant”, but still, 800 people couldn’t fault its results.
Former The Traitors finalist Andrew Jenkins has revealed the power move the latest batch of Traitors should make after a cliffhanger ending to last week’s shows
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A former finalist has shared the key moment he thinks this year’s Traitors will be able to buy themselves more time – and throw another contestant under the bus. As the hit BBC contest passed the midway stage, season two star Andrew Jenkins believes a cliffhanger moment provided Traitors Rachel and Stephen with the perfect opportunity to progress.
Andrew, who was pipped to the jackpot at the final hurdle in his series says the pair could make an effective but brutal move in a bid to save their own skin. It comes after viewers watched Matthew try to strike a deal with the pair.
Andrew told us: “When it comes to bringing someone in and recruiting them, you have to use them as a sacrificial lamb.” And this is exactly what he thinks will happen to Matthew as he tried to strike a future allegiance with the Traitors.
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“As we saw with the cliffhanger of the last episode, I think they should recruit so they are able to throw someone under the bus to take the heat off them for a while. It will buy them more time. It’s very brutal.”
Speaking of his own experience, Andrew admits that while he didn’t go into the castle with a game plan there was one regret he held – not plotting against Harry soon.
“I should have started plotting against Harry sooner and talking to other people in the castle, like Molly,” he explained. “Molly was 50/50 with Harry and I. At the end, she even wrote his name down. I got on really well with her in there; she called me dad. She was only 21, just a young kid at the end of the day, and she was lovely.
“I think if I’d have spoken to Molly a few days before, I feel I could have swayed her to go for Harry… It’s hard to guess how different it would’ve been, but I’d have definitely started planting seeds earlier.”
He admitted he had initially “planned to get friendly with everyone” and attempt to go under the radar. However, just as he was ready to make his move, his options were scuppered. “Towards the end, I was going to make my move as I did,” he said.
“But then Ross messed up my chances at the roundtable. That’s what my fellow contestants told me; they all said they didn’t really suspect me until Ross went mad at the roundtable and changed his vote to me. They were thinking, ‘Why did he go mad?’ and there was a whole argument about me using the word ‘elusive’.
“Up until that point, I was plotting against Harry, and then I was going to talk to Molly. I got on really well with Molly and Jazz. But then Ross ruined my chances. He cost me £95,000, really, but I’m not bitter about it at all.”
Andrew also shared the biggest two surprises he found when joining the show as he reiterate the show is completely unscripted despite constant speculation from some viewers.
“I like the fact that everything you see on television is real,” he confessed. “Nothing is scripted. They don’t tell you what to do, what to say, so it’s real. People always ask me if it’s scripted and if they tell you what to say. No, they don’t. They obviously edit the finished version, so it looks good on TV, but it’s all real.
“[I was surprised at] how big the production is; it’s absolutely massive. How many cameramen, sound people, runners, the production is huge, and there are so many people working behind the scenes.
They work silly hours, and they work so, so hard. They’re away from their families for months and months on end. As soon as I was finished with my series, the American traitors started in the same place a week later, and they were coming back for it.
“They only had a week’s break, and then they were back in the castle for another 7 to 8 weeks. I’ve got so much respect for the people who work on the production. They work so hard.”
Andrew was speaking to the Mirror on behalf of Buzz Bingo.
John Alford was a massive star in the ’90s, appearing in famous shows including Grange Hill and London’s Burning. In a horrifying fall from grace, he has now been jailed for sexually assaulting two teenage girls during a “sleepover”
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Nineties heartthrob John Alford once had the world at his feet, but now he’s a convicted paedophile facing eight and a half years in jail.
Charged under his real name John Shannon, the former actor was found guilty of sexually assaulting two teenage girls, aged 14 and 15, at a friend’s house in Hoddesdon, Herfordshire, in April 2022. During the trial, he denied having sexual activity with the victims. Alford, 54, from Holloway, north London, was found guilty at trial in September. He was seen putting his head in hands and shouted “wrong, I didn’t do this” from the dock as the verdict was read out.
Today, he was sentenced to eight and a half years after the jury found him guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of penetrative sexual activity of a child, assault by penetration and sexual assault.
But how did Alford go from one of the most in-demand stars to a convicted paedophile? Here, we take a look back at his fall from grace…
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Booze and gambling
Alford attended Anna Scher’s stage school from age 11 in London, landing his first role in ITV sitcom Now and Then before landing the role as Robbie Wright in BBC’s Grange Hill in 1985.
But the young actor found fame too tough to handle and started drinking heavily. By the time he left the show at the age of 17 he had reportedly spent up to £80,000 on alcohol and gambling. He later confessed to drinking up to 18 bottles of beer and nine shots of spirits a night.
“When I got ill I went to see somebody. They looked at my liver and told me to stop, which my mum had been telling me for years,” he said.
In 1993, he took his first highest profile adult role as fireman Billy Ray in ITV’s London’s Burning, remaining in the role for five years. He launched a spin-off singing career and scored three top 30 singles in 1996, including Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Blue Moon/Only You.
But not everything went according to plan for Alford, even at this stage. In December 1995 he controversially ended up stripping for the Christmas issue of the magazine For Women.
“My agent set me up for a photo shoot for a women’s magazine and I arrived there and suddenly realised it was a soft-porn magazine. I had to strip naked and pose and I was too embarrassed to admit I had made a gross mistake.” In December 1996, just before he was due to appear in pantomime in Sunderland, Alford collapsed and was taken to hospital in Newcastle suffering from a rare blood disorder.
Drug sting
In 1999 his stellar success came to an end when he was sacked after being convicted of supplying drugs and was sentenced to nine months in jail. Alford had been lured to a hotel by the News of the World’s Mazher “Fake Sheikh” Mahmood, who was posing as an Arabian prince, and secretly filmed supplying cocaine and cannabis, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.
The judge at Snaresbrook said there had been an element of entrapment in the case. Alford told jurors in St Albans he had been “blacklisted” as an actor following that conviction.
He told Sunday People: “I had been on the party scene, going to clubs and taking cocaine, since I was young. But I’d put the drugs behind me by that point. Stupidly, I decided to do what they asked and get them drugs. I just felt I was totally in over my head. I was wrong to sort out the deal. If it wasn’t for Mahmood there would have been no drug deal. I wasn’t a drug dealer, I was an actor.”
Mahmood was eventually exposed as a fake in a court hearing where he was found to have altered evidence in the collapsed drugs trial of singer Tulisa Contostavlos. But it wasn’t in time for Alford who had already lost work as a result of the scandal.
Jurors were told, that after legal action, Alford received a £500,000 settlement from the News of the World’s publishers. He told Panorama: “No one can give me the 18 years I’ve lost, no one can give me that back. I hope this is the first day of a new life for me.”
He struggled to find work after and was reportedly forced to earn cash as a roofer, scaffolder and mini-cab driver to make ends meet. According to the Sunday People, at points he had to live off benefits. In 2001, Alford gained a role in the film Mike Bassett: England Manager. In 2003, he played the part of drug-dealing and scheming flight attendant Dean in Mile High.
Drink driving
In January 2006, he was banned from driving for 16 months and fined for drink-driving. He had crashed his Rover car into three other vehicles in Islington, north London, on April 2, 2005. He also pleaded guilty to driving a defective vehicle because one of his car’s front wheels was dangerously deflated.
Highbury Corner magistrates ordered him to pay a £150 fine and £100 in costs in addition to the driving ban. Alford has since had other driving-related legal issues, including criminal damage to a council vehicle in 2018.
Assault on police officer
On October 1, 2018, Alford appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrate’s court where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault on a police officer and guilty to a charge of criminal damage to a vehicle belonging to Camden Council on September, 1, 2018 in Holloway London.
He was bailed to appear for trial at the same court on November 29, 2018. On January 29, 2019, Alford pleaded guilty to two counts of resisting an officer and was given a 12-month community order.
‘Sleepover’ abuse
Alford sexually assaulted girls aged 14 and 15 at a friend’s home on April 9, 2022. He was convicted on six counts including sexual assault, penetrative sexual activity with a child and penetrative sexual assault. When the verdicts were read out, he placed his head in his hand and said: “Wrong, I didn’t do this!”
Prosecuting barrister Julie Whitby said both of the girls were drunk when the incidents happened. All of the offences took place at the home of a third girl whose father was friends with Alford.
The actor purchased approximately £250 worth of food, alcohol and cigarettes from a close by petrol station in the early hours of the morning, including a bottle of vodka which the teenagers drank. Alford then had sexual intercourse with the younger girl in the garden of the house and later in a downstairs toilet. He then inappropriately touched the 15-year-old as she lay half asleep on a sofa in the living room.
Police had received a third-party report from the then 15-year-old girl’s mother on April 11 2022 outlining the allegations, jurors were previously told. The defendant was then arrested the following day after both girls were interviewed.
In a statement provided to the force, Alford said one of the two girls “kept on trying to kiss me” and had told him she was 17 years old. He added: “At no point did I touch her in any sexual way whatsoever.” Jurors had heard that he told the police after his arrest: “This stinks. This is a set-up.”
The actor cried as he told jurors: “I haven’t done this. No DNA. I didn’t touch them. I think science proves me not guilty.” The prosecution said a “bit of a party” had been staged, which Alford denied. He said he thought he might be the victim of an extortion plot.
“I am not a nonce,” he said. “I wouldn’t touch a child. If you do that where I’m from, that’s called street justice – I wouldn’t have made it to the court. If anyone in my area believed I could have possibly done this, I would be dead by now.”
Recorder Caroline Overton said the attacks happened while the girls were enjoying a sleepover at a friend’s house during the Easter holidays. She said after the other adults went to bed, at 4.30am, Alford went to a nearby garage where he bought £269 worth of food and drink, including beer, rum and flavoured vodka.
She said the girls were in what should have been “a safe environment” while enjoying themselves, including recording TikTok videos. She said: “You were the one remaining adult. You were a trusted family friend and you were fully aware the girls were 14 and 15 years of age.”
The jury returned its verdict after 13 hours of deliberations with Alford found guilty on four counts of sexual activity with the younger girl, and of sexual assault and assault by penetration relating to the older teenager. Jurors at St Albans Crown Court were told that Alford had a number of previous convictions – although none for sex offences – and had been to jail.
In mitigation, Alford’s barrister said his client has been diagnosed with ADHD and other mental health issues. He said Alford now recognises he has a problem with alcohol, which “he has not really addressed throughout his life”. The court heard Alford is a dad to four children, aged between five and 19. He said Alford is likely to be targeted in prison because of “who he is”.
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Former London’s Burning star John Alford was found guilty of sexually assaulting girls aged 14 and 15 at a friend’s home following a trial earlier this year
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John Alford was once a babyfaced actor in the ’80s but his life has since taken a dark turn as he’s been convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage girls.
The London’s Burning and Grange Hill actor, who was tried under his real name of John Shannon, had a glittering future ahead of him in the 1980s and 1990s. But today, he has been has been handed a sentence of eight and a half years in prison after being found guilty of child sex offences.
The 54 year old former child actor was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child, as well as two counts relating to a second female of sexual assault and assault by penetration. Alford, of Hartham Road, Islington, was found guilty at St Albans Crown Court on September 5 of sexually assaulting girls aged 14 and 15 at a friend’s home on April 9, 2022. He was later sentenced on January 14.
Alford tapped his heart while looking at family members before being led down to the cells. Recorder Overton said he will serve up to two thirds in custody before being released on license. She added that for the rest of his life, Alford must make police aware of where he is living and inform them if he makes any changes to his name. He was also issued with a restraining order preventing him from contacting either victim either directly or indirectly.
However, Alford once had hopeful career dreams of becoming an actor as he attended Anna Scher’s stage school from the age of 11 before landing a role in ITV sitcom Not and Then. Alford then got his big break as he joined the cast of Grange Hill, undertaking the role of Robbie Wright.
Photos of Alford from his stint on the programme, which lasted five years, see him as a babyfaced teen. He’s pictured in the distinctive Grange Hill school uniform wearing a white shirt and tie along with a blazer with the fictional school’s logo on. His stint as Robbie saw him feature in the show’s anti-drug campaign single, Just Say No.
Alford continued acting in his adulthood, as he took on the role of Billy Ray in London’s Burning, a role which he portrayed for five years. He had a brief music career, in which he released a self-titled album, which failed to chart. His last on-screen appearance was as a prison guard in The Hatton Garden Job in 2017.
However, he is now most known for his perverted crimes. In September he was found guilty of sexually assaulting two girls, aged 14 and 15. As the verdicts were read out in court in September, he placed his head in his hand and said: “Wrong, I didn’t do this!” Prosecuting barrister Julie Whitby said both of the girls were drunk when the incidents happened. All of the offences took place at the home of a third girl whose father was friends with Alford.
The actor purchased approximately £250 worth of food, alcohol and cigarettes from a close by petrol station in the early hours of the morning, including a bottle of vodka which the teenagers drank. Alford then had sexual intercourse with the younger girl in the garden of the house and later in a downstairs toilet. He then inappropriately touched the 15-year-old as she was falling asleep on the sofa.
A third-party report was made to police by the then 15-year-old girl’s mother on April 11 2022, jurors were previously told. The defendant was then arrested the following day after both girls were interviewed. In a statement provided to the force, Alford said one of the two girls “kept on trying to kiss me” and had told him she was 17 years old. He added: “At no point did I touch her in any sexual way whatsoever.”
Jurors had heard that he told the police after his arrest: “This stinks. This is a set-up.” Alford denied the charges and previously told a trial at St Albans Crown Court he “never touched” either of the girls.
The two girls who made the allegations said the actor assaulted them at a home in Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire in April 2022. Jurors were told a “bit of a party” was taking place at Alford’s friend’s home when the two girls attended. The 14 year old said she had sex with Alford in the garden and in a toilet. Alford told the court: “It didn’t happen. No.”
The 15 year old said the actor sexually touched her. Alford said he “never touched either of them girls”. He cried and told the jury: “I haven’t done this.” The actor also said: “I have thought a million times, why would they do this?” The actor told jurors the 14-year-old ‘kept trying to grope’ him, but he told her ‘in no uncertain terms, “no”.’
“It was quite obvious she was very drunk and being very flirtatious,” he said. “I recoiled, didn’t reciprocate in any way, shape or form at any time.”
Investigator Laura Harrison, from Hertfordshir,e Constabulary’s Sexual Offences Investigation Team, said: “Throughout this trial, Shannon consistently denied any sexual activity and maintained that the two child victims were attempting to extort him for money—despite the fact that neither child knew who Shannon was, nor that he was an actor, as they were born long after his career began. At no point did Shannon accept responsibility, admit guilt, or show any remorse for his actions.
“There is no doubt that Shannon’s behaviour that evening was predatory and carried out solely for his own sexual gratification.
“Reporting offences of this nature is never easy. I want to commend the victims for their courage in coming forward and for the strength they have shown throughout this lengthy and complex investigation. Their determination has never wavered, and this is testament to their bravery.”
Both victims provided victim impact statements which were read out by a judge in court ahead of his sentencing. The court heard the 14-year-old victim, who was wearing pyjamas, a vest top and knickers, told police Alford was older than her dad.
In her victim impact statement, she said: “I’m the victim of penetrative sexual assault. Being sexually assaulted has affected my family in every way.” The girl said she had to undergo a sexual health exam, but it could not be completed due to it causing her so much pain.
She was also given the morning after pill and had to undergo injections for HIV and other diseases, which caused her bruising. She said: “I was scared people were going to notice and wonder why I had them.” She added: “I had so much shame about the incident. I didn’t want to tell anyone.”
The girl said she did eventually tell her brother, who told her parents, including her dad who attempted to comfort her. She said: “My dad hugged me, but I didn’t feel comfortable with it because he was a man. It has affected me severely with school. I didn’t care about my GCSEs as this was the only thing that mattered. I wasn’t bothered about my personal hygiene or appearance. I was just existing.”
She added: “I’ve become protective of my friends and any girl I see. I’m always on the look out for a man doing something wrong. What happened to me will be with me forever, but I won’t let it change me.” The girl said she doesn’t like drinking as it reminds her of that night. She added: “I remember what John smelled like.
“I was getting flashbacks. I’ve been getting dreams. I’m convinced he’s going to come through my door,” she said. “I also find it hard being intimate with my boyfriend because of this.” The teen added: “The assault by John has completely changed my perspective on life. It has made me look very differently at the world and I now have worries for my life and my future children. I will not let this assault define me, but it has been constantly in my mind.”
If you are 18 or under and have been affected by this story, you can contact Childline, confidentially on 0800 1111. You can also contact the NSPCC Helpline by phoning 0808 800 500 or emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
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* If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
The first joint biography of the Prince and Princess of Wales in over a decade, William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, by the Mirror’s Royal Editor Russell Myers is set to be published next month
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A brand new book with never-before-told details about the Prince and Princess of Wales is set to be released next month. William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story by the Mirror’s Royal Editor Russell Myers is the first joint biography of the couple in over a decade and will draw on exclusive access to numerous palace insiders.
The book is set to trace the story of the couple’s earliest meeting at St Andrews University to the present day examining the relentless media scrutiny, the controversies of their 2022 Caribbean Tour and Kate’s shock cancer diagnosis at the same time as the King’s.
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It promises to offer “never-before-told context about the biggest stories to have followed the Prince and Princess of Wales in recent years – including the Sussex departure, the forming of the ‘Cambridge way’, and the death of Queen Elizabeth II – and provides an unprecedented glimpse into the private lives.
“Highlighting the couple’s resilience and dedication in the face of the adversity, Russell presents a deeply personal perspective on how the events the Prince and Princess have weathered together will shape their vision for a modern monarchy – as they set out to secure its safe continuation at a time of extreme change and turmoil.”
Russell, who is also the royal editor of the ITV Lorraine show, said: “I’ve spent almost a decade following The Prince and Princess of Wales as part of the royal pack and have always believed there’s so much more to the couple than the spectacle reveals. I am immensely grateful to Ebury for granting me the platform to explore the unseen.
“The result is a truly intimate portrait of William and Catherine; providing not just unparallelled insight into who they are as individuals, but seismic revelations about them as a couple and the world they inhabit.
“This biography moves beyond the headlines as it explores love, resilience, and their journey together as they navigate their public duties amid this unprecedented era.”
While Lorna Russell from publisher Ebury Spotlight said: “It’s a time of extreme change and turmoil in the monarchy, and Russell finds a very human, emotional story unfolding at the centre of it. It’s powerful and revealing.
“He’s providing a new perspective on our future King and Queen, and we get to know a very real family, living their lives behind the pomp and ceremony. This book is going to completely change the narrative on the Royal family, in unexpected ways.”
William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story will be published on February 26 and is available now on pre-order.
Former London’s Burning and Grange Hill actor John Alford has today been jailed for eight and a half years for sexually abusing two underage girls.
The 53-year-old was handed the sentence after a jury found him guilty of committing two counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child, one count of penetrative sexual assault and one count of sexual assault at a party. Alford showed no emotion as the sentence was delivered by Recorder Caroline Overton at St Albans Crown Court.
Alford tapped his heart while looking at family members before being led down to the cells. Recorder Overton said he will serve up to two thirds in custody before being released on license. She added that for the rest of his life, Alford must make police aware of where he is living and inform them if he makes any changes to his name. He was also issued with a restraining order preventing him from contacting either victim either directly or indirectly.
Recorder Caroline Overton said the attacks happened while the girls were enjoying a sleepover at a friend’s house during the Easter holidays. She said after the other adults went to bed, at 4.30am, Alford went to a nearby garage where he bought £269 worth of food and drink, including beer, rum and flavoured vodka.
She said the girls were in what should have been “a safe environment” while enjoying themselves, including recording TikTok videos. She said: “You were the one remaining adult. You were a trusted family friend and you were fully aware the girls were 14 and 15 years of age.”
Alford played Billy Ray in ITV drama London’s Burning and Robbie Wright in BBC children’s series Grange Hill ( Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
The 53-year-old was tried under his real name, John Shannon at St Albans Crown Court in September ( Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
Overton also said before issuing the sentence she had carefully examined the psychiatric report provided by Alford’s legal team, which included he has been psychologically dependent on alcohol since the age of 12 or 13. She made a sexual offences prevention order against him and said he will be on the sex offender’s register indefinitely.
She also said as part of the orders he will not be able to have any contact with a female aged under 18 without the full consent of the child’s parent or guardian, as well as social services. He is also prohibited from entering anywhere females under 18 are present, without prior written permission.
Recorder Overton said Alford had remained focused on the impact the offences on him and his family rather than his victims. She said he had shown “a lack of acknowledgement” of his behaviour or “any remorse”. And she added: “It is so serious that only a sentence of immediate custody can be justified.”
Both victims, who watched the hearing via screens, provided victim impact statements which were read out by the prosecution barrister, Julie Whitby. The court heard Alford was left as the only adult with the girls after other adults went to bed. Because of the nature of the conversations he had with them, he knew how old the girls were and that they were 14 and 15 respectively.
The court heard Alford was drinking from a bottle of Ciroc vodka and a bottle of beer and that both girls also drank from the bottle of vodka. The court heard the 14-year-old victim, who was wearing pyjamas, a vest top and knickers, told police Alford was older than her dad.
In her victim impact statement, she said: “I’m the victim of penetrative sexual assault. Being sexually assaulted has affected my family in every way.” The girl said she had to undergo a sexual health exam, but it could not be completed due to it causing her so much pain.
She was also given the morning after pill and had to undergo injections for HIV and other diseases, which caused her bruising. She said: “I was scared people were going to notice and wonder why I had them.” She added: “I had so much shame about the incident. I didn’t want to tell anyone.”
The girl said she did eventually tell her brother, who told her parents, including her dad who attempted to comfort her. She said: “My dad hugged me, but I didn’t feel comfortable with it because he was a man.” She continued: “It has affected me severely with school. I didn’t care about my GCSEs as this was the only thing that mattered.
“I wasn’t bothered about my personal hygiene or appearance. I was just existing,” the teen said. “I’ve become protective of my friends and any girl I see. I’m always on the look out for a man doing something wrong.” Before she added: “What happened to me will be with me forever, but I won’t let it change me.”
The girl said she doesn’t like drinking as it reminds her of that night. She added: “I remember what John smelled like.” The teen continued in her statement: “I was getting flashbacks. I’ve been getting dreams. I’m convinced he’s going to come through my door.” She added: “I also find it hard being intimate with my boyfriend because of this.
“The assault by John has completely changed my perspective on life. It has made me look very differently at the world and I now have worries for my life and my future children,” she said. “I will not let this assault define me, but it has been constantly in my mind.”
A victim impact statement was also read on behalf of the other victim, who was aged 15 at the time of the sexual assault. She said she carried on severe self-harm for years after the attack and attempted to take her own life, aged just 16.
And she said she now has scars on her body as a result of the self-harm. She said: “This man destroyed my mental wellbeing. When I was 16 I tried to take my own life with sleeping tablets.” She added: “I was in so much physical and emotional pain I cut myself deeply. I used my mum’s lighter to burn the inside of my thighs as well.
“I felt so suicidal and depressed, words cannot describe how I felt.” The girl said she often suffers flashbacks and nightmares and she admitted: “Every day I wake up thinking I could have done something to help my friend.” She also said she blames herself. She added: “I still face challenges everyday because of what he did.
“I cannot get on public transport, I can’t do anything by myself.” She also told how if she wakes up in the night she is too scared to go to the toilet on her own. She said: “I struggle with men. I don’t want to think of every man as evil, but I do.” She added: “I will never forget his face, his scent, his voice or him.”
In mitigation, Alford’s barrister said his client has been diagnosed with ADHD and other mental health issues. He said Alford now recognises he has a problem with alcohol, which “he has not really addressed throughout his life”. The court heard Alford is a dad to four children, aged between five and 19. He said Alford is likely to be targeted in prison because of “who he is”.
Alford’s barrister told the court his client “will of course struggle in prison because of his mental health”. The barrister described the incident as “sad” and “not one that will be repeated”. He added of Alford, who was referred to as Mr Shannon in Court: “Mr Shannon is a family man. His family speak highly of him. He is a loving uncle, loving brother, loving father.
“As a result of this his family have been targeted by people. It has been difficult for them.” The court heard the prosecution are requesting a restraining order preventing the contacting directly or indirectly of the victims.
Speaking after the sentence was handed down, Investigator Laura Harrison from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Sexual Offences Investigation Team, said:”I want to praise the bravery of our two victims for coming forward and reporting John Shannon’s horrific crimes to police.
“Shannon has not shown any signs of remorse, from his interviews in custody, to the trial which his victims had to endure. I hope that our victims are now able to move on in their lives knowing that Shannon will now be spending a considerable amount of time behind bars.” The statement continued: “This result reinforces the message that Hertfordshire Constabulary has a zero tolerance to crimes of this nature, and I hope Shannon is able to reflect on his behaviour and the trauma his actions have caused, not only for the victims but for their families as well.”
Lawyer Chris White, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “John Shannon was fully aware of the girls ages, yet he chose to exploit them – giving them alcohol and then committing sexual offences against them.” He added: “We commend the victims for reporting what happened. They were supported to give evidence against Shannon: their statements were recorded and played to the jury during the trial, and we arranged for screens to be provided so they did not have to face the defendant during cross examination.
“Shannon’s sentence today sends a clear message – we will pursue those who target young people for their own gratification.” A Hertfordshire Police spokesperson said: “John Shannon, who is also known as John Alford, aged 54, of Hartham Road, Islington, has been sentenced to eight years and six months in prison.
“Shannon was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a Restraining Order until further order. He will also serve on the sex offenders register indefinitely.”
The court previously heard Alford, who was tried under his real name, John Shannon, carried out the attacks at an impromptu party after a night out at a pub in April 2022. The girls, who did not previously know him, were enjoying a sleepover at the home of a third girl, whose father was friends with Alford.
The fiend bought £250 worth of food, alcohol and cigarettes from a nearby petrol station in the early hours of the morning, including a bottle of vodka, which his victims subsequently drank.
Alford went on to have sex with the 14-year-old girl in the garden of the property and later in a downstairs toilet. He also inappropriately touched the 15-year-old girl as she lay half-asleep on the living room sofa.
In a video of her police interview played to the court, the 14-year-old said she had never had sex before the night and stated she had been raped. She said: “I told him to stop because I didn’t want to have sex with an old man”.
Alford, right, starred as Robbie Wright in BBC children’s drama Grange Hill ( BBC)
Alford’s most high-profile role as an adult actor was in hit ITV drama London’s Burning ( PA)
The court heard Alford, who played Billy Ray in ITV drama London’s Burning and Robbie Wright in BBC children’s series Grange Hill, asked her ‘do you want this babe?’ to which she replied “no”. She told police she asked him to stop “three or four times”.
The 15-year-old girl assaulted by Alford told the court: “We were all just like dozing off. That was when John started to touch me.” The youngster said she felt “absolutely sick” after the assault and immediately showered after being dropped off at the house of the other girl Alford attacked.
She described how they both went into a bathroom together and “spoke about everything that happened”, before she talked about the incidents again while visiting a different friend’s home two days later. Recalling the moment, she said: “I had a mental breakdown to my best mate’s mum in the garden and she called my mum.”
During the trial, jurors heard that, after being arrested, Alford claimed he had “never touched” either of the girls and told police officers: “This stinks. This is a setup.” But a jury disagreed and convicted Alford of all the charges after a week-long trial and more than 13 hours of deliberations.
Alford began acting aged nine before starting theatre school aged 11 ( Unknown)
At the time, Alford, of Holloway, north London, put his head in his hands and shouted “wrong, I didn’t do this” from the dock as the verdicts were read out. When he was arrested, Alford, who began acting aged nine, said he was a father and in a relationship.
The disgraced former star, who also admitted to having suffered mental health difficulties, previously spent time in jail and has a number of previous convictions. In 1999, he was convicted of supplying drugs to an undercover journalist and served six weeks of a nine-month sentence.
He has claimed he was “blacklisted” as an actor as a result. He also has previous convictions for disorderly behaviour, drink-driving, causing criminal damage and obstructing police.
If you are 18 or under and have been affected by this story, you can contact Childline, confidentially on 0800 1111. You can also contact the NSPCC Helpline by phoning 0808 800 500 or emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
* If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
