Emmerdale spoilers follow from Tuesday's episode (December 17), which is available to watch now on streaming service ITVX but hasn't yet aired on ITV1.
Note: This story discusses topics including suicidal ideation/thoughts.
Emmerdale's Tom King has received a disapproving warning from his own solicitor as his sly scheming continues to spiral out of control.
The evil villain annoyed his legal representative Ollie in Tuesday's episode as he smugly celebrated the success of his latest plan.
Tom was arrested and charged with assault and coercive behaviour earlier this month after his year-long abuse of his wife Belle.
Determined to derail the upcoming trial, Tom faked an attempt to take his own life in prison and is currently "recovering" in hospital.
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The show's latest episode saw Belle continue to question whether she should testify against Tom at his trial.
After hearing about the incident at the jail, Belle wrongly believed that Tom's mental health struggles were genuine. She feared making the situation worse if she gave evidence against him.
Many of the Dingles were far more sceptical and Charity soon took matters into her own hands by visiting Tom in hospital.
In a tense conversation, Charity openly accused Tom of faking the incident to mess with Belle's mind and ultimately escape justice.
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Tom correctly guessed that Charity wouldn't have visited if Belle was coping well, so her interference only fuelled his confidence over the imminent trial.
Later, once alone with Ollie again, Tom expressed his delight that everything seemed to be going his way.
He boasted: "I knew I'd got her the moment Charity walked in the room. I know Belle, remember? And she'll be terrified that this has pushed me over the edge. She's too easy to read."
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However, clearly losing patience over Tom's games, Ollie warned: "You are not coming across well here, Tom. You know you can't say a hint of this in court?"
Tom replied: "Don't worry. They will think I'm the sanest, most decent bloke they've ever met. So will the doctor doing my assessment when I tell them that I'm fit to stand trial. Ready for it, even. Now I know that Belle's out of the equation, I'm basically a free man."
Will Tom wriggle his way out of justice – or is Ollie right to be worried about him getting overconfident?
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.
Read more Emmerdale spoilers on our dedicated homepage
We encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Information about how to access support is available via the NHS, and organisations who can offer help include Samaritans on 116 123 or Mind on 0300 123 3393.
Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, organisations including Refuge (www.refuge.org.uk), New Beginnings Peer Support (www.newbeginningspeersupport.com) and Women's Aid (www.womensaid.org.uk) can provide further support and information. The 24-hour, freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247. The US National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or text LOVEIS to 22522.
