Arthur Thomas (Alfie Clarke) is fast becoming Emmerdale’s number one ratbag and Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy) can no longer protect him.

He began to turn to the dark side when he stole Ray Walters’ (Joe Absolom) bag which transpired to contain drugs and money. Instead of giving it back, he kept it and while Laurel ditched the drugs on his behalf, Arthur kept the money and started imagining himself living the high-baller life.

He flashed his new cash, buying himself a new phone and showing it off to April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan), which wasn’t the smartest move as she ended up tugging at his heartstrings over how poor Ray has left her family, making Arthur thinking perhaps he should hand over the cash.

But moral-less Arthur managed to stave off that thought and held on to the money with plans to nick off to Australia.

Laurel was horrified at how cold her son had become, they rowed, and she scratched him with the ring. This was the moment that cemented Arthur becoming the little devil he now is.

But there is worse to come. With another row between mother and son brewing, Arthur will rapidly lost his cool and do the unthinkable – push Laurel in a fit of rage and give her a head injury.

She is rushed to hospital with concussion with Arthur feeling somewhat sheepish. Initially, it appears she doesn’t know what had happened and Arthur feels guilty at the prospect of having damaged her memory.

But she’s hiding something.

When Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler) questions her, Laurel sticks to her account that she blacked out and fell on the stairs, but Nicola is worried there is a medical explanation for her friend’s fall.

Arthur is sweating; no one yet knows he did this atrocious thing to his mum, but he knows it will come out soon.

After Laurel is treated, Gabby Thomas (Rosie Bentham) is horrified to see Laurel experience a dizzy moment. It piques Arthur’s guilt as he starts to wonder if his actions have caused Laurel lasting damage.

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He need not have worried. Manpreet Sharma (Rebecca Sarker) conducts a home visit and sends Gabby and Arthur away for a moment alone with her patient. Will Laurel tell her what really happened?

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