Disgraced actor John Alford’s cause of death has been revealed, after he died weeks into his sentence for sexually abusing two girls.
Alford was convicted of four counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts relating to a second female of sexual assault and assault by penetration in January, and was discovered dead in his prison cell in March.
His provisional cause of death has now been publicly recorded as ischaemic heart disease, indicating that he suffered either a heart attack, a fatal arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death, following an inquest opening.
The opening hearing lasted only a few minutes, with a full inquest due to be held in September, where further evidence concerning the circumstances of his death is expected to be heard.
Alford was just weeks into his eight-and-a-half year sentence when he was found dead in his bed at the Category C HMP Bure in Norfolk.
The former TV star, who was 54, rose to fame for his role as rebel Robbie Wright on BBC’s Grange Hill when he was 13, before starring as fireman Ray in London’s Burning from 1993 to 1998.
He suffered a fall from grace when he was sacked from London’s Burning after being convicted for supplying cocaine and cannabis, and he served six weeks of a nine-month sentence in 1999.
He strenuously denied assaulting two teenage girls at a sleepover during his trial, during which he was tried under his real name of John Shannon.
However, he was found guilty after the court heard how he plied his victims with alcohol before taking the 14-year-old's virginity before molesting the 15 year old as she was drifting off to sleep.
