Emmerdale Tom King’s jailbreak 'sealed' in shock twist with unexpected villager's help

Emmerdale fans are convinced that Tom King will manage to evade prison, with assistance from a fellow villager.

This week in the Dales, justice finally caught up with Tom (James Chase). Viewers will remember how he has tormented Belle Dingle's (Eden Taylor-Draper) life for the past eighteen months, manipulating and controlling her every action.

In one episode, Belle defended herself by attacking Tom with an axe, and despite initial hesitation, she reported Tom to the police for his year-long abuse.

During Thursday's episode (December 19), Tom's trial took place - with charges of coercive controlling behaviour and assault against him. On the stand, Belle disclosed the truth about the abuse she endured.

Tom, on the other hand, continued to fabricate stories, spinning a 'false' narrative whenever possible. Throughout the intense episode, viewers saw jurors Heidi (Denise Welch) and Karl (Charles Dale) disagreeing over who was telling the truth, reports Leeds Live.

Heidi quickly defended Belle, but things seemed bleak for Belle as Karl highlighted her violent history and appeared sympathetic towards Tom.

After much deliberation, the jury returned to deliver their verdict. To everyone's surprise, Karl announced that the jury found Tom guilty of both charges of assault and controlling and coercive behaviour, resulting in a three-year custodial sentence.

However, fans now suspect that the saga is far from concluded. They predict that Tom will manage to escape from prison, with the aid of someone from the Dales.

One person on an Emmerdale Facebook fan page expressed disappointment with a character's storyline, saying: "Not long enough, 3 years, should have been a lot more, amazing episode and absolutely fantastic acting from