Emmerdale fans fear Sam will be jailed after fiery stand-off with Eric seriously backfires

EMMERDALE fans fear Sam Dingle will be jailed after a fiery stand-off with Eric Pollard seriously backfired.

Eric played by actor Chris Chittell was left battered and bruised after chasing his friend Sam when he realised he was trying to steal from him at the village shop.

Sam and the Dingle family have become increasingly desperate during the cost of living crisis, and he had tried to steal some baby supplies for granddaughter Esther.

However, Eric had tripped and fallen during the chase, and when the police arrived, Sam was arrested on suspicion of theft and assault.

In tonight’s episode, Sam begged Eric’s son David to have a word with his dad and encourage him not to give the statement or press charges.

Explaining how hard times were for his family, Sam pleaded with David to see that him going to prison would make things even worse for his loved ones.

David duly tried to talk his dad around, but Eric was having none of it.

Later, David returned with Sam, who had brought some dead pheasants as a peace offering.

Sam said: “I feel that bad Eric, I really do.”

But Eric couldn’t let his friends’ betrayal go, asking him: “How could you do this to me? I thought we were friends, I treated you like a son at times, gave you advice, helped you financially.”

Sam continued to beg for forgiveness, telling Eric “I were desperate!”

But Eric said: “It was premeditated and that’s what hurts, you deliberately distracted me so you could steal all those things.

“You don’t care how I feel, you just want a get out of jail free card.”

David asked him to give Sam a chance but Eric was furious, saying: “You don’t get it do you? I don’t care about the cost, I care that you have betrayed the friendship, the 30-year-old friendship.

“And that is why I shall be making a full statement tomorrow.”

Nothing David or Sam could say would change Eric’s mind, as he added he would also tell police he had been trying to influence a witness too.

As Sam left, crestfallen, Emmerdale viewers took to Twitter to share their fears over what would happen next.

One wrote: “That’s it for Sam then.”

Another added: “Surely Sam will go to jail for this.”