Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant) and Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) were both put in harms way by John, who subsequently swooped in to ‘rescue’ them from the brink of death.

He played a similar game with Nate Robinson (Jurell Carter) but the situation didn’t go as he’d planned, which resulted in the farmhand’s demise.

John pinned the blame for Nate’s murder on Owen Michaels, a patient at the local GP surgery who he let die.

His crimes were exposed earlier this week after husband Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) woke from his coma to recall how John had thrown him from a gorge in a bid to incriminate Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley), who was jailed for the incident.

Aaron also recalled how Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) had been held captive in a bunker by John, who had vanished without a trace.

John hasn’t been seen since fleeing the scene at the hospital after trying to kill Aaron twice(Picture: ITV)

Against all odds, Mack survived the ordeal after a guilty John retrieved him from the bunker and left him outside the hospital, where he received the medical attention he desperately needed.

The events of the past week well and truly sent shockwaves through the village, especially where Nate’s murder is concerned, with Cain (Jeff Hordley) struggling to process the fact that John was to blame this whole time – and that he’d missed it.

In fact, he was so consumed with grief that he accused Aaron of knowing about Nate’s murder and keeping shtum due to John having helped them in disposing of Anthony’s body.

The high emotions continued as Cain and Moira (Natalie J Robb) were subsequently tasked with informing Tracy Metcalfe (Amy Walsh) about John’s role in Nate’s death, which left her devastated.

Robert, meanwhile, was released from prison and made a beeline for the hospital, where he received the cold shoulder from Chas and later Aaron, who was less than welcoming as he berated his ex for interfering on the gorge.