Dean WILL be punished!

Matt Di Angelo has revealed this week that his character will be punished for raping Linda. Last year, in October, viewers watched in horror as brother-in-law Dean wicks raped Linda.

Since then viewers have been waiting for the hairdresser to get his comeuppance. But back in April, hour hopes were dashed when the police revealed they will be taking no further action against him for the attack.

At the time, exec producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said it was more realistic that a rape that is left too long before reporting it rarely gets to court.

Now, speaking in an interview with Inside Soap, Matt Di Angelo - whose character is currently considering applying for custody over his and Shabnam’s daughter, Jade - has said that Dean WILL be punished for his actions.

Insisting that he didn’t want viewers to feel sorry for Dan following shock revelations about his father and daughter, Matt said: “We wanted to show that those people live on, and how it affects their life.

“Viewers will see him being punished on a daily basis.”

However, just as Dominic told us before, Matt added that his character will NOT find himself behind bars for his crimes… and that it was probably better that way, too.
He explained: "At the end of the day it's a soap, so we have to finish the story and not leave it unresolved in any way.

“I’m not saying he should go to prison, though - I don't think he should, because the real-life statistics don't reflect that.

"The vast majority of these people don't face judicial punishment, and that's one thing EastEnders really wanted to get across. That's what makes it so good - everyone feels that sense of injustice.”

Matt finished firmly: “But there are other ways for Dean to be punished, like getting physically abused by Mick, or having his financial or personal life attacked.

“He's constantly being faced with that."