Emmerdale: trial verdict for Pierce - will he be found guilty?

Rapist Pierce Harris will face trial on next week's Emmerdale - but will he get away with his crime?

Upcoming scenes will see Rhona break down under questioning while a smug Pierce plays the role of the falsely accused victim.

"Pierce's defence lawyer absolutely annihilates Rhona," reveals actress Zoe Henry. "It couldn't go any worse for her."

"Her case is made to look very weak," adds Jonathan Wrather. "Pierce is saying that what they had was consensual sex - that the sex was rough, but this was how they liked it."

With the defence painting Rhona out to be a liar, the situation starts to look bleak. Worse is to come, though, when a nervous Vanessa steps up to give evidence, but ends up getting called out after telling lies.

"Vanessa tries her best but ends up making things a whole lot worse," continues Henry. "By the end of the second day, the audience will be thinking, 'It's not looking good for Rhona'. And it really isn't."

With Rhona now worried that she's going to lose the case, she ends up making the rash move of following her estranged husband to a side room before he takes the stand.

Pierce is then left reeling when Rhona threatens him and admits that she is prepared to lie to get him sent down.

"It's a totally opportunistic moment for Rhona," says Henry. "When she sees him go into an empty room, she just thinks, 'it's now or never. What I'm about to do can't make the situation any worse'. So she goes in, locks the door and says, 'I want to hear you say it.'"

Adds Wrather: "At this point, Rhona does think that Pierce is going to get off, so therefore the least she can get out of this a confession privately. And Pierce does crack - and it's a great moment."

As Pierce at last seems to acknowledge his crime, Rhona finally gets the confession she's been waiting for. But will Pierce replicate in public what he's said to Rhona behind closed doors?

It isn't long before Pierce is called and - looking nauseous - he makes his way to the courtroom. Has Rhona got through to him? And will she get the justice she deserves?

You can watch a 60-second rundown of next week's episodes of Emmerdale below.

And visit our dedicated Emmerdale page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUQhbRiBUUA