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| Actor John Holford tells court he 'never touched' teens at party | Actor John Holford tells court he 'never touched' teens at party |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Actor John Alford told police that two girls who accused him of sex offences were lying | Actor John Alford told police that two girls who accused him of sex offences were lying |
| Former London's Burning actor John Alford who has been accused of sexual offences by two teenagers fought back tears as he told a trial "I haven't done this". | Former London's Burning actor John Alford who has been accused of sexual offences by two teenagers fought back tears as he told a trial "I haven't done this". |
| Mr Alford, who is charged under his real name John Shannon, is accused of four counts of sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl and two counts relating to a second girl, then aged 15, of sexual assault and assault by penetration. | |
| Mr Alford, 53, who lives in Holloway, north London, denies the offences and told a trial at St Albans Crown Court that he "never touched" either girl. | |
| Jurors heard that Mr Alford had told Hertfordshire Police officers after being arrested: "This stinks. This is a set-up." | |
| The actor was listed as John Shannon at the trial and his stage name emerged at an earlier hearing. | The actor was listed as John Shannon at the trial and his stage name emerged at an earlier hearing. |
| The two teenage girls who made the allegations said Mr Alford had assaulted them at a house in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in April 2022. | The two teenage girls who made the allegations said Mr Alford had assaulted them at a house in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in April 2022. |
| Jurors have heard that a "bit of a party" had taken place at the home of a friend of Mr Alford and the two girls had been at the house. | Jurors have heard that a "bit of a party" had taken place at the home of a friend of Mr Alford and the two girls had been at the house. |
| The 14-year-old girl said she had sex with Mr Alford in the garden and in a toilet. | The 14-year-old girl said she had sex with Mr Alford in the garden and in a toilet. |
| "It didn't happen," Mr Alford told the trial. "No." | "It didn't happen," Mr Alford told the trial. "No." |
| The 15-year-old girl said Mr Alford sexually touched her. | The 15-year-old girl said Mr Alford sexually touched her. |
| "Not at all," he added, "I never touched either of them girls." | "Not at all," he added, "I never touched either of them girls." |
| He began to cry and told jurors: "I haven't done this." | He began to cry and told jurors: "I haven't done this." |
| Mr Alford added: "I have thought a million times, why would they do this?" | |
| Blacklisted by industry | Blacklisted by industry |
| Mr Alford told jurors that the 14-year-old girl had "kept trying to grope me". | |
| "I told her, in no uncertain terms, 'no'," he said. | "I told her, in no uncertain terms, 'no'," he said. |
| "It was quite obvious she was very drunk and being very flirtatious." | "It was quite obvious she was very drunk and being very flirtatious." |
| He added: "I recoiled, didn't reciprocate in any way, shape or form at any time." | He added: "I recoiled, didn't reciprocate in any way, shape or form at any time." |
| Mr Alford said he had downed most of a bottle of vodka and was "getting well drunk". | |
| But he added: "I don't lose my morals no matter how drunk I am." | But he added: "I don't lose my morals no matter how drunk I am." |
| "I have been accused of the most horrific crime anyone can ever be accused of. I didn't do anything inappropriate," he said. | "I have been accused of the most horrific crime anyone can ever be accused of. I didn't do anything inappropriate," he said. |
| The actor had told police, after his arrest in April 2022, that the allegations were "scandalous", jurors heard. | The actor had told police, after his arrest in April 2022, that the allegations were "scandalous", jurors heard. |
| A prosecuting lawyer said Mr Alford told police that one of the girls "kept trying to kiss me" but he told the girl "no". | |
| Jurors heard that he had told police: "I didn't rape anyone." | Jurors heard that he had told police: "I didn't rape anyone." |
| Mr Alford told the trial that he thought he might be the victim of an extortion plot. | Mr Alford told the trial that he thought he might be the victim of an extortion plot. |
| Mr Alford told jurors that he been born in Glasgow and moved to London when aged two and began acting at the age of nine. | Mr Alford told jurors that he been born in Glasgow and moved to London when aged two and began acting at the age of nine. |
| He told jurors of his previous convictions, which dated back to 1999. | He told jurors of his previous convictions, which dated back to 1999. |
| They included convictions for drug supply, disorderly behaviour, drink driving, causing criminal damage and obstructing police. | They included convictions for drug supply, disorderly behaviour, drink driving, causing criminal damage and obstructing police. |
| He said he had been "blacklisted" as an actor following a 1999 drug supply conviction. | He said he had been "blacklisted" as an actor following a 1999 drug supply conviction. |
| Mr Alford also said he had suffered mental health difficulties. | Mr Alford also said he had suffered mental health difficulties. |
| He said he was a father and had been in a relationship when he was arrested in 2022. | He said he was a father and had been in a relationship when he was arrested in 2022. |
| Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. | Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. |