David Platt finally reports Josh Tucker to the police for raping him, reveals Jack P Shepherd…
David Platt should have gone to the police as soon as Josh Tucker raped him, but it’s taken time and a whole lot of trauma for him to get his head around it, Coronation Street's Jack P Shepherd tells Soaplife…
For weeks David Platt suffered in silence after being raped by Josh Tucker. But finally he finds the courage to report Josh to the police and see him arrested. "Everything changed when David told Shona Ramsey about his ordeal and she believed him," actor Jack P Shepherd told Soaplife. "Also, hearing bereaved Johnny Connor pouring his heart out about Aidan's suicide made David realise that opening up was the only way forward." And hopefully seeing Josh punished for what he did…
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Jack P. Shepherd's interview with Soaplife about David Platt reporting his rapist to the police…
Soaplife: Dec, an old acquaintance of Josh’s, admits he was also raped by Josh. Does this help convince David to go to the police?
Jack P Shepherd: “It makes a difference to David to know he isn’t the only one, but Dec doesn’t want to go to the police – even though there’s more chance of them being believed if there’s two of them. However, David’s realising he shouldn’t be scared or embarrassed about not being believed. He mustn’t keep it all bottled up. David’s at his lowest ebb but he wants to fight these feelings – and see Josh punished.”
S: How much does Shona’s support mean to him?
JPS: “It’s everything. Even when David tried to push Shona away and hurt her by moving Emma Brooker in, Shona never retaliated. They’ve always loved each other, so it’s a massive thing for David that she is with him every step of the way. He tells Emma to move out, by the way.”
S: Does David feel like a weight’s been lifted when he tells the police and Josh is arrested?
JPS: “In David’s head it’s all about Josh owning up to what he’s done and admitting the rape. At the moment, Josh is still saying that it was consensual and that’s really eating David up.”
S: Why does David want Shona to tell Alya Nazir the truth about Josh?
JPS: “He wants Alya to be warned about what Josh is really like. When David thought that Josh was getting too close to Chesney Brown, he wanted to make sure Chesney was safe and, in the same way, he now wants Alya to see Josh for who he really is.”
S: How hard is it for David to tell his mum Gail and gran Audrey about his rape ordeal?
JPS: “When it comes to Gail and Audrey, David usually has something up his sleeve, but, for once, he is powerless. This is a men’s mental health story and about encouraging men to talk about things that happen to them rather than bottling them up. This is the most important part of the storyline. It’s always been less about the ordeal and more about how David deals with the aftermath. Hopefully it could help someone who has gone through something similar realise they need to open up and speak to somebody.”
Coronation Street continues on ITV.
