This article contains discussion of domestic abuse, including coercive control, that some readers may find upsetting.

Tom King (James Chase) was finally arrested in tonight’s episode of Emmerdale (2nd October 2024), after ex-wife Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper) reported him for domestic abuse.

After Belle struck Tom with an axe in self-defence last week, Tom believed he’d struck a deal with her to conceal his vile behaviour, and told the police that he was attacked by strangers.

But Belle refused to let him win, and told the police the truth in powerful scenes. The village was soon swarming with officers investigating recent events, while Belle assured her family that she had kept their names out of her statement, concerning the clean-up of Tom’s attack.

At the hospital, Tom was due to be discharged, and detectives arrived to reveal Belle’s statement and take him to the station – at which point Tom said that he lied about how an axe ended up in his back. He was then arrested for coercive and controlling behaviour and assault.

During questioning, Tom claimed that Belle’s mental illness made her angry and abusive towards him, but the detective was under no illusions about him, presenting the screw-top camera as proof of Tom’s controlling grip on Belle.

Tom lied that the camera was to protect Belle, but he was then told that his electronic devices were being seized by police at that very moment.

When his solicitor friend, Ollie (Alistair Toovey) arrived, Tom privately admitted that he had used more than one camera to spy on Belle, and that his cousin, Carl, was using his tablet which also contained footage.

Ollie warned Tom that this would only add weight to Belle’s claims, and Tom began to panic that he would be finished if the tablet was found. Is Tom’s disgusting campaign of abuse about to be exposed?