The start of the week saw Belle in a panic about attending court. She was scared she would say the wrong thing and Tom might walk free because of her.
At the end of last night’s episode though, Charity (Emma Atkins) and Cain (Jeff Hordley) felt relief as Belle showed up with minutes to spare. She was ready to tell her story.
Tonight, Denise Welch, Charles Dale and Jack Ellis graced our screens playing three members of the jury – Heidi, Karl and Kenneth. As Tom and Belle gave their statements to the court, we also saw scenes of the jury having meeting after meeting, attempting to reach an agreement on whether Tom is a guilty man or not.
Heidi was certain Belle was telling the truth, but others weren’t sure.
As the conversation ticked on and multiple breaks were had, the group knew they needed to reach a conclusion. Before things could go any further though, Kenneth spoke up.
He told a story about a young boy who lived near him when his daughter was little. They were friends, but their lives went in different directions as they got older.
At first, the other members wondered why Kenneth was telling the story. He went on to reveal that the young lad grew up to become an abusive murderer, responsible for killing the mother of his children.
The group were horrified. Kenneth said that he met the victim a couple of times, and noticed the spark she previously had wasn’t there. He recognised the same facial expressions and signs in Belle, and new they had to consider what Tom may do next if he was allowed to walk free
With that, the jury announced they had made their final decision. The Judge sentenced Tom to three years and the news made Belle cry.
At long last she can finally look towards the future and rebuilding her life.
But first, Christmas.
And the return of someone very loved indeed.
