As Angelica King faces time in a secure children’s home in Emmerdale, Belle offers words of wisdom after her own experiences in one – but who did Belle kill?
It was back in 2014 that Belle made one mistake that changed her life forever and resulted in the death of Gemma Andrews. Belle was just 15 at the time.
So what happened to Gemma? And what did Belle go to prison for?
Who did Belle kill in Emmerdale?
Belle killed her best friend, Gemma Andrews. The girls had a fractious friendship, often having huge fallouts and then making up.
But in 2014, one massive fight led Belle to lash out and her actions ultimately caused Gemma’s death.
Who was Gemma in Emmerdale?
Gemma was the 15-year-old daughter of Dom Andrews. In June 2013 she found out she was pregnant after a one-night stand with Sean Spencer.
Gemma decided to get an abortion, but Belle, who also had a thing for Sean and was jealous, wrote about the termination on one of the school’s whiteboards. The two fought over it and the headmaster was forced to break it up. Belle was then suspended from school.
By early 2014 the girls were pals again, but Belle was growing closer to Sean. Gemma was unhappy about this and at a party Gemma stormed out.
Belle followed her and tried to explain she hadn’t know Gemma still liked Sean. But Gemma hit back that Belle was a selfish cow and upset Belle retaliated that Sean would never fancy Gemma anyway.
Gemma slapped Belle and Belle hit back, pushing her to the ground. Gemma hit her head on a rock and it started to bleed.
Although Belle offered to help, Gemma refused and both girls stormed off in different directions. However, soon Gemma collapsed and in the morning was found by Harriet Finch unconscious behind a hedge.
Gemma was rushed to hospital, but died from her injuries in March 2014.
Did Belle kill Gemma?
Distraught Belle was convinced she had killed Gemma. Mum Lisa forbid her from going to the police, insisting it was an accident.
Belle was still blaming herself though and tried to confess, but Cain stepped in and stopped her.
Zak eventually found out what his daughter was hiding and when she asked him to take her to the police station, he agreed. Belle confessed everything and was charged with murder.
Belle firmly believed she needed to go to jail, although she eventually became afraid of going to prison and even thought about having a baby to get out of a sentence!
At her trial Belle was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to three years. However after Dom wrote a letter forgiving Belle, she appealed her sentence and it was reduced to one year.
Belle’s mental health struggles
After her release from prison, Belle found adjusting to life outside difficult. Her behaviour was erratic, she started hanging out with Lachlan White and getting into trouble, including stealing from Edna Birch. One incident saw her found in the church bloody and bruised after seemingly having been attacked.
She also tried to kill herself with painkillers but broke down in tears unable to do it.
It soon became clear Belle was mentally unwell and she was talking to an imaginary version of Gemma, who was telling her to do all these things.
As things got worse, Belle began lashing out and it was only when ‘Gemma’ told her to run over her dad, Zak, that Belle realised she needed help. She told her parents, who took her to a psychiatrist who suggested she could be developing Schizophrenia.
After Belle believed she had killed Katie Sugden, she tried to take her own life again. Cain saved her from falling to her death and Belle was sectioned.
On medication, Belle seemed to get her life back on track. However, when she began an affair with married man Jermaine Bailey in 2016, and faked a pregnancy, her mental health deteriorated again.
She stopped taking her medication and started hallucinating another imaginary friend called Ellie. She ran away and when she was found living on the streets, Belle was sectioned once again and officially diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
Belle and Tom in Emmerdale
Angelica is now also facing time in a secure unit after joyriding and causing the death of Heath Hope on New Year’s Eve.
Having been told the judge will have no choice but to give her a custodial sentence, Angel has got the wrong idea about the secure home. She thinks it’ll be just like boarding school and will be a breeze.
Jimmy has enlisted Belle to talk her through the realities. But it all goes wrong when Angel starts to believe she will also develop mental health problems.
As Belle goes home to Tom she’s upset over what’s happened, but even more hurt when he denies having asked her to speak to Angelica in the first place. Tom manipulates the situation and Belle is grateful to him for his support once more.
However, we know their marriage is set to turn abusive, so could this see a decline of Belle’s mental health again?
Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale in 2024?
Coronation Street usually airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.
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