Nicky Milligan (Lewis Cope) was recently badly hurt in a car crash in Emmerdale. He and Ethan Anderson (Emile John) were on their way to meet Suni (Brahmdeo Shannon Ramana), who was at a bar and called Nicky to say that a man responsible for a homophobic attack on them last year was at the same place.
Nicky wanted to drive there, but Ethan realised he had had too much to drink, so got behind the wheel himself.
On the drive Ethan saw a police car behind them and got nervous because he’d had a drink too and he was worried he might be over the limit if he was stopped. He turned around, but at some point lost control of the car, with devastating consequences.
Nicky was left with a serious head injury. After Ethan got him out of the car and saw that Moira Dingle (Natalie J. Robb) had arrived on the scene and would be able to help his friend, Ethan legged it.
With Nicky in hospital fighting for his life, it wasn’t long before the police discovered that he hadn’t been the one driving the car. As Caleb (William Ash) and Ruby (Beth Cordingly) watched over their son, Ruby’s mind was immediately filled with thoughts of revenge against whoever had been driving and left her son for dead.
In upcoming episodes Ruby confides in Moira. The two women have been at loggerheads ever since Moira splashed Ruby with mud when driving, Ruby put about a rumour that Moira had scabies and Moira retaliated by dumping manure outside Ruby’s house. But they’re united by worry for Nicky and anger about the circumstances of the crash.
Meanwhile Cain (Jeff Hordley) and Caleb are also reconciled, and the brothers are also focused on what they might do when they find out who caused the accident.
Ethan is feeling the guilty burden of his secret and when Charles (Kevin Mathurin) offers him the opportunity to open up he tells his father he was driving when Nicky was injured.
Charles is devastated and wrestles with his conscience about what to do. Ultimately he decides the right thing is to turn his son in to the police.
Ethan is arrested, and the moment is witnessed by Ruby – who realises that Ethan must have been the one responsible for Nicky’s accident.
As Ruby reports back to the rest of the family, things are looking ominous for Ethan.
With his father against him and, far worse, Ruby and the Dingles set on taking their revenge, it’s probably far safer for him to be in a police cell than to return to Emmerdale village any time soon.
