Emmerdale: Cain Dingle arrives home drunk as he battles demons
Emmerdale's infamous Tom King (played by James Chase) is pulling out all the stops to dodge punishment for his violent crimes and is hatching another plan to escape jail.
However, fans of the soap predict a grim end for him as he fights for freedom.
After enduring severe abuse, the local vet landed in prison when his estranged wife, Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper), bravely reported her torment to the police.
Tom's attempt to engineer a mistrial using his cousin Angelica (Rebecca Bakes) spectacularly backfired.
In the upcoming episodes, a determined Tom faces trial alone, deserted by his family including his uncle Jimmy (Nick Miles).
Refusing to accept his looming fate, Tom indicates he will concoct a new scheme to dodge the trial's outcome, reports the Manchester Evening News.
This twist has sparked speculation among viewers, with some suggesting that the villainous Tom might make a run for it from the courtroom, only to meet a tragic end.
Emmerdale enthusiasts took to Reddit to discuss Tom's destiny, with one fan asking: "Will Tom Be Found Guilty Or Not Guilty? I hope he rots in prison."
One reply suggested: "Well going by Emmerdale and Corrie's history, he will escape take Belle hostage, probably kill someone innocent before getting killed himself."
Another viewer added their prediction: "While the heart says guilty, I got this nagging feeling that [he'll] be found not guilty and in soap land fashion, they will most likely give him some sort over the top style ending as he leaves the show."
A third fan speculated on a possible twist: "With the way things are going he'll probably escape, and go on the run.
"While still harassing Belle of course. We'll be here next year going 'So do you think they'll catch Tom yet?'"
One viewer even suggested a dramatic plot twist: "Could they bring Meena in for an episode or two to take care of Tom, to kill off the character?
"Then it's finally over. If it happens, Meena is getting the keys to the village."
The question remains - will Tom face his deserved justice in court or does his dark fate lie elsewhere?
Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX
