Warning, spoilers ahead:
has confirmed the conclusion of Tom King’s domestic abuse storyline involving his wife, Belle Dingle, after months of torment.
Earlier this year, Belle (played by Eden Taylor-Draper) and village vet Tom (portrayed by James Chase) got married, but their marital bliss quickly turned sour.
Following a terrifying series of physical assaults and manipulative control, Belle finally left Tom, and after weeks of contemplation, she reported him to the authorities. Despite being arrested, Tom made several attempts to undermine the court case, including a faked suicide attempt in jail.
In Thursday’s episode (December 19), now available on , both Belle and Tom appeared in court, each trying to convince the jury of their honesty in distressing scenes.
As the pair squared off, recounting various incidents from their marriage, the jury was left to deliberate on a verdict.
Juror Heidi (played by Denise Welch) was convinced of Belle’s truthfulness, but not all shared her view as Belle’s violent history was brought up, painting Tom in an innocent light.
Emmerdale fans Tom King will return to the village (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
After much discussion, the prosecution played their trump card: the recovery of camera footage from Tom’s tablet that he had attempted to destroy. Back in the jury room, Kenneth, a juror, revealed his own deeply personal experience with domestic abuse.
After a tense wait, the jury convicted Tom on counts of assault and coercive behaviour, sentencing him to three years behind bars. enthusiasts immediately took to social platforms to discuss Tom’s prison stint, speculating his potential release in June 2026, having served only half his term due to UK sentencing guidelines.
Belle’s past was dragged up in court in an attempt to make Tom look innocent (Image: ITV)
Fans expressed their outrage on X, formerly known as , with one commenting: “Tom King only got 3yrs….he’ll be out in 18 months. Shocking he’ll then be free to terrorise her again!”.
The Facebook community also expressed worry his victim: “It’s 18 months on good behaviour be back to terrorise Belle in no time.”
Adding to the chorus of concern, another said: “3 years isn’t enough! And what a perfect ending. Couldn’t have ended it any better.”
And yet another remarked, “Three years is laughable. He’ll be out in 18 months. This will give the scriptwriters time to work out of hell and return to the village full of remorse or revenge”.
airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and available to stream from 7am on ITVX