After Belle Dingle’s (Eden Taylor-Draper) axe attack on Tom King (James Chase)

which he miraculously survived in Emmerdale, one would think that

maybe he would finally back off. Not so, he’s only getting worse.

When Amelia (Daisy Campbell) blabbed to Tom that Belle planned to go to the police, she set off a terrible chain reaction. Tom snuck into the Dingle Homestead, held Belle hostage and attacked her, leaving her bloodied and crying for help. She grabbed a gun, but unable to pull the trigger, she made a run for it into an outbuilding.

It feels never ending (Picture: ITV)

Evil Tom tracked her down and broken in with an axe, where he took the gun off her, removed the safety, and taunted her with it. But he made the mistake of turning his back. As he regaled her with his smug victory, she swung the axe right into him.

It looked like he was a gonner and the Dingles were going to have to feed him to the pigs, but he wasn’t dead and did eventually come around. This is where he got even more depraved.

He began blackmailing Belle – if she drops the domestic abuse accusations, he’ll keep it to himself that she tried to murder him, and he forces her to kiss him on the cheek to seal the deal.

But brave Belle is having none of it and now the pair are due to face off in court.

And now Tom is desperate, because he knows that there is plenty of evidence against him. He’s unhinged and he is desperate, two very dangerous things.

In light of the court case, Tom needs to get his tablet back, which contains lots of damning evidence. But young Isaac has it, and Tom will stop at nothing to get it back – even the thought of harming a small child is nothing to psycho Tom.

He chances upon the little lad alone and begins his manipulation – Isaac tells him the tablet is at home and he tells Tom exactly where to find the spare key. Bingo.

Tom sneaks into Butlers, but he’s nearly caught when Matty (Ash Palmisciano) comes home. If Matty discovers him hiding, he it could be lights out for him.

Belle approaches Moira (Natalie J Robb) after she left her a voicemail to ask what she remembers, but with Moira’s health in the state it’s in, she can’t remember a thing.

Tom catches Belle unawares and frightens her with his sudden appearance. He’s there to put the boot in – he shows her that he’s full of self-assured confidence that he will win against her in court, leaving Belle a wreck.

But Tom’s smugness is missed placed – as he violently smashes up the tablet with a hammer, he doesn’t realise Carl sees everything. Either Carl could be the one to bring him down, or he could be Tom’s next victim. Which is it to be?