The trial of former London’s Burning actor John Alford, who has been charged with sex offences involving two alleged victims, has been delayed as he is set to be detained under the Mental Health Act. The 53-year-old, who first found fame in Grange Hill, is accused of four counts of sexual activity with a child, and two counts relating to a second female – of sexual assault and assault by penetration.
Alford, of Holloway, north London, denied the charges at a previous hearing. A seven-day trial for the former actor, who is charged under his real name John Shannon, had been listed to start at St Alban’s Crown Court on Monday, but on Wednesday a consultant in liaison psychiatry told the court he had been admitted to hospital and was medically unwell, then there have been two medical recommendations for Section 2 of the Mental Health Act, but he has not yet been detained.
Dr Kirsty Allen said: “At the moment he’s not technically detained because you’ve got to have a bed before you can be detained somewhere.”
A mention hearing was set at the same court for Friday.