EMMERDALE’S Belle Dingle took a huge step tonight and reported abusive husband Tom King to the police after his sickening plot to control her backfired.
The events planner – who is played by actress Eden Taylor-Draper in the ITV soap – has been pushed to breaking point by Tom’s coercive control and violent abuse.
Viewers watched as she fled from Tom’s brutality during a forced holiday to Wales – returning home to end their marriage.
But that hasn’t stopped Tom from stalking her and terrorising her at a distance – and even killing her dog Piper in an effort to get Belle back under her control.
In tonight’s episode a grieving Belle prepared herself to bury Piper.
“I’ve come to collect Piper,” said Belle but Tom led her to believe that he’d disposed of her body already.
He said: “It’s not possible, I’m sorry. You’ve worked in this place, you know we’ve got no storage space.”
A horrified Belle told him: “You wouldn’t do that Tom. You wouldn’t just get rid of her without telling me.
“Shipping her off in the waste van like a piece of rubbish. You had no right but of course you’ve got to twist the knife in a bit more because you are sick and disgusting.
“This is what you meant when you told me I’d regret it.”
Later at the Dingle cottage Belle was devastated but it soon emerged that Tom had tried to manipulate hr by lying.
Tom turned up with Piper’s body in a wicker coffin and Lydia and Sam joined them to bury her.
But when Tom tried to pretend he cared – hiding that he had killed Piper – it was too much for Belle and she exposed his leaving Piper outside at the cottage in the rain.
Unfortunately Lydia and Sam didn’t believe her and made excuses for Tom.
Walking home, Belle was confronted by Tom who threatened her when she promised to expose all of his abuse.
He then confessed to killing Piper and let Belle spiral out of control.
She told him: “You’ve done your worst Tom. You’ve taken everything away from me, how are you going to hurt me now?”
But he just smiled and left her at the side of the road in fear.
And it pushed Belle into making the decision fans are thrilled she has finally made – she reported Tom to the police.
Posting on social media, one said: “Well done Belle. Time to unburden yourself once and for all. Coercive, manipulative, controlling….women do not put up with it. You will be believed.”
A second wrote: “Oh my god Belle at the police station reporting Tom? YESSS FINALLY WE SEE THE DAY THANK YOU EMMERDALE.”
“Excellent Emmerdale “Claire Law” go Belle report it all so it is logged in big start,” said a third.
While a fourth penned: “Yes Belle, come on you can do this.”
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
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