Archers addicts 3!

Is Henry really so dim he has no inkling of what's been going on?

Hope Kirsty can ring the helpline number so they can get a solicitor who knows about these things.
How a QC would defend Helen from The Archers

I suppose Helen is better off being in custody. Who knows what damage she'd do if left. Especially as she'd have Pat and Tony looking after her convinced she was bonkers and completely in the wrong. Rob can do no wrong in their eyes.

And I really think this programme isn't long enough. I feel sure they'd cut it to seven minutes tonight!

merlot - did you really mean to be so unkind about a 5 year old boy? I know it isn't Real (well, if I try very hard, I remember it isn't real) but poor little chap. He's been living in an atmosphere of absolute tension for months, been taught "obedience" by psychopathic Rob and threatened with boarding school. His easter bunny and chocolate were thrown in the bin by daddy and mummy forbidden from going in to the weeping child who'd been banished to bed after the bunny boiling incident.

I'm still hoping he'll be given the opportunity to talk about his experiences … and then given some play therapy

Apologies for not spotting AA 3. I have asked GNHQ to delete the other one - until they do, please ignore it

Helen will be seen by a psychiatrist in custody. They will establish that she is not nuts. Kirsty will tell them what has been going on; the helpline will confirm her call; Jess will be able to clue them in too. And hopefully Helen will be able to list all his ghastlinesses, not least assault and marital rape.

I'm sure GN won't mind a link to Mumsnet Guest post: Domestic abuse - "I am a real life Helen" (Warning: upsetting content)

I drove off to choir at 7pm and I had to pull into a lay by as Helen's terror was making me feel really shaky.

Don't blame me, blame the scriptwriters, Iam. Henry lives in a three year old time warp.

Why were Pat and Tony allowed to take him home? He's a key witness. Surely there would be concerns that they might influence his recollection of events?

There seems to be two threads running on the Archers. I was so disappointed Helen hadn't finished Rob off. Really fed up with Helen as well, she could have made a better job of it and wish she could stop being the victim and get even, for Henry's sake, he is better off with Pat and Tony until things sorted anyway.

Yes Henry is a witness but the police wouldn't cart him off to be interviewed at 9pm. They'd ensure he was safe with family members. He's at the younger end but I expect he'll be interviewed under the best evidence guidance, video tape available in both civil and any criminal proceedings.

If Helen had killed him she would have ended up with a custodial sentence.

Luckylegs, the last Archers thread was full, having reached 1000 posts, therefore No 3 has been started.

It was the full length NFK I timed it on my journey to choir.

I was just reading some posts on Mumsnet and one phrase a poster used caught my eye and seems to be something that has been missed by some posters, tweeters, Facebookers, etc., and that is that we have seen Helen's "erosion as a person" - this is exactly what the coercive partners intention is so to then criticise the character for having had their personality eroded seems another case of victim blaming to me. (I am sure this will be Susan's view - I can almost hear her now )

I feel the SWs are to be praised for the way in which they have managed to covey this.

Should we start a 'free Helen' campaign? It would for Dreary Barlow in Corrie.

I know it is only fiction but I was so shocked on Monday.and Tuesday .The radio is such an intimate media. I was surprised how moved I felt.

Poor little Henry. He's only a little boy, either 4 or 5. How do you expect any child to make sense of what happened? His life has been so confusing for the last few months particularly.

It is only fiction LD but true life for so many.

On flppant note. No chance of getting the deposit back on Blossom Hill Cottage. That blood/ tuna combo will be the devil to get out!

I hope somebody bothered to take Peggy home.

Rob will recover, state it was a tragic accident, drop the charges, and take the line with Helen, " you're not well, darling, it's not your fault".
This will ensure gratitude from Helen, Pat, & Tony, and confirm his status as the caring, devoted husband, so his abuse can continue for a while yet.

Seems awful that they'd interview that little boy. It would imprint it even more in his brain.

Please no Daddima, It has to move on from there. We just can't go back to that.

I don't know if the Borchester nick is in line with national practice, but police forces do have interviewers specially qualified to work with children and, of course, a child will be accompanied by a responsible adult - if there are any left in Ambridge.

More reading for addicts I found the idea that Helen should plead "loss of control" (towards the bottom of the page) interesting.

I know some people have thought the stabbing was too extreme but anything less and I imagine Helen would (in RL) have gone back to Rob in even worse circumstance and I don't think the audience would cope