90s TV star John Alford is accused of multiple sex offences against two underage girls, a court has heard. Alford, 53, who starred in London's Burning and Grange Hill, is accused of four counts of sexual activity with a 14-year-old and two counts relating to a second girl, then aged 15, of sexual assault and assault by pentration.

Alford - whose real name is John Shannon - allegedly had sex with one of the girls in a garden and a toilet. The court heard how he also performed a sex act on another teen and was "in no doubt" that both girls were underage. Alford denies all six charges against him.

Alford, wearing a white shirt and suit trousers, sat in the dock showing no emotion as the allegations were read out. St Albans Crown Court heard the alleged incidents took place on April 9, 2022.

Prosecutor Julie Whitby said the dad-of-two claims no sexual activity took place and that he told one of the girls "no". Opening his trial at St Albans Crown Court yesterday (August 25), prosecutors said Alford sexually assaulted both girls after visiting a property in Hertfordshire following a booze up at a pub.

All of the offences are alleged to have taken place at the property in Hertfordshire where there was "a bit of a party" taking place, the court heard. Ms Whitby told jurors: "They were drinking, they were chatting, they were spending time with each other."

Alford is believed to have been at the pub before returning to the property at around 2am. The alleged victims were left alone with the defendant after others at the property went to bed, and he asked them how old they were.

Ms Whitby added: "Mr Shannon was in no doubt that these two girls were both under 16. They just thought they were having an evening with a family friend."

Alford then briefly left the property to visit a nearby petrol station before returning to the house with a bottle of vodka. The court heard how he allegedly asked the 14-year-old girl to sit on his lap after going outside into the property's garden for a cigarette, which the girl described as feeling "a bit strange".

Alford then allegedly started to kiss and touch her before having sexual intercourse with her. Ms Whitby told jurors: "She didn't say stop beforehand, but she didn't want it to happen."

Later that night, Alford then had sex with the girl for a second time in a downstairs toilet in the property after pulling her onto him, the court heard.

Ms Whitby said: "He asked her, 'Do you want this babe?' and she said, 'No'." It is also alleged that Alford then sexually assaulted a second 15-year-old girl.

Neither girl said anything about the alleged assaults immediately after they occurred because they had both been drinking "a fair amount of vodka", the prosecutor told the court.

Jurors were told that police received a third-party report outlining the allegations on April 11, 2022. 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-year-old. He added: "At no point did I touch her in any sexual way whatsoever."

Alford said the two alleged victims were "trying to extort money from him and they were trying to trick him", but no material supporting these claims was found on either the girls' or the defendant's phones when searched by officers, Ms Whitby said.

He was arrested two days after the alleged assaults at a residential address in Hertfordshire, following a report made to police by a third party. The case was investigated by Hertfordshire Constabulary's specialist Sexual Offences Investigation Team.

The trial had originally been scheduled to begin last December but was postponed after Alford collapsed the day before proceedings and was admitted to hospital near his north London home.

Alford first gained fame in the mid-1980s as Robbie Wright in BBC school drama Grange Hill, before going on to play fireman Billy Ray in ITV's London's Burning from 1993 to 1998. At its peak, the show attracted audiences of over 18 million viewers. He also made brief appearances in ITV sitcom Now and Then.

The trial, expected to last five days, continues.