EastEnders airs further consequences for evil Dean Wicks in early BBC iPlayer release

Last week, the BBC One soap saw the villainous character face a major blow when The Six framed the serial unpunished sex offender and abusive father for the murder of Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters).

Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) planted the murder weapon of a meat thermometer in Dean's flat after being aware of his recent tampering with the medication of his unwell daughter Jade Masood (Elizabeth Green) and attempting to frame Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) for it, his slander of Jean's partner Harvey Monroe (played by Ross Boatman) as a sex pest, his previous rape of Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) in 2024, attempted rape of the late Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) in 2015, and his attempted murder of his mother Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) in 2016.

Following this, Keanu's real killer Linda went to the police herself and took control of her future by making a statement saying she saw Dean outside the cafe hauling something heavy in tarpaulin into the cafe on Christmas night.

After this, Dean was arrested by the police and they later found the murder weapon in his flat. After realising he was being framed by Linda, Dean protested his innocence of Keanu's murder to the police - but his future was not looking good for him.

In Monday's episode, the police continued to quiz Dean as all the Six's narrative surrounding Keanu's murder fit so well with Dean's recent actions.

Dean planning to kidnap his daughter Jade by whisking her away permanently to America without telling her or her mother Shabnam Masood and stealing her raised charity funds in the process to fund this exit only feeds into the sense he's fleeing justice, especially when all of this happened after the discovery of Keanu's body.

Additionally, Keanu's corpse was found wrapped in tarpaulin stolen from his business Beale's Eels and Dean had no alibi.

Dean was also known to have publicly clashed with Keanu multiple times - including when Keanu outed his past as a sex offender to his daughter Jade - giving him a motive.

Also, following interviews with Jean, Harvey, and Stacey, the police determined that Dean was tampering with Jade's medication - especially when Jade supported the Slaters' beliefs, Dean was arrested once more, but on suspicion of neglect.

Then the final piece of the puzzle: the blood in the meat thermometer found in his flat was confirmed to match the DNA of Keanu Taylor.

With this, Dean was charged with the murder of Keanu Taylor and he was left protesting his innocence.

Back at the Queen Vic, The Six and Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff) received a visit from Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) who revealed that Dean had been charged and would appear before the magistrates' court tomorrow and would be held on remand until his trial.

As Linda wondered aloud if they had done the right thing, Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth) maintained that while Dean was not guilty of this crime, he was guilty of countless others and deserved punishment - an opinion seconded by Keanu's fiancée Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean).

Johnny also maintained to Linda that they had done what her presumed dead soulmate Mick Carter (Danny Dyer), Dean's brother, would have wanted for the villain too.

Will The Six's plan be pulled off when Dean goes to trial?

Anyone affected by Linda's story can find support by visiting Rape Crisis, or calling their 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line on 0808 500 2222.

Read more:

• 7 EastEnders spoilers next week: Yolande's ordeal and Lucy Beale death anniversary
• EastEnders announces sexual assault storyline for Yolande Trueman with flashback scenes
• EastEnders' Angela Wynter reveals importance of Yolande's dark new story
• EastEnders airs heartbreaking death in early iPlayer release
• EastEnders schedules hour-long episode amid Lucy Beale death anniversary

EastEnders normally airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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