Roy Cropper faces murder charge in shocking Coronation Street twist

Corrie’s much loved cafe owner Roy Cropper is to be dealt a devastating blow this week when he is charged with the murder of missing teenager Lauren Bolton.

Roy has been DS Lisa Swain’s number one suspect since he misguidedly deep cleaned Lauren’s flat after she mysteriously disappeared. When the hunt for the young girl became a murder inquiry Roy was taken in for questioning.

He has found himself a victim of internet trolling and at the centre of much lurid speculation from armchair sleuths.

Things take a turn for the worse this week when a woman pretending to be Lauren’s mum visits the cafe and ends up in a tussle with Roy, before falling and hitting her head.

In Friday’s episode (12 April) Swain takes Roy in for questioning about the incident and he faces the interrogation with solicitor Dee Dee at his side.

Both are shocked as Swain delves into Roy’s history and it becomes obvious that she still sees him as responsible for Lauren’s disappearance and suspected murder.

Dee Dee returns to Roys Rolls alone and breaks the devastating news that Roy has in fact been charged with Lauren’s murder and is being held in police custody.

Back at the station a terrified and confused Roy sits alone in the dark and miserable police cell dreading his pending court hearing.

Can Roy’s devastated friends and family get to the bottom of what has happened to Lauren and free their friend from jail? With no information on Lauren’s whereabouts and no other real suspects for the crime, has Roy paid the ultimate price for his honest and trusting nature?

David Neilson said: “Roy is innocent in every respect, he is innocent of the crime, but he is also an innocent soul. He never thought for one minute it would come to this, he truly felt that if he simply answered everything honestly it would all be okay and he was naive to assume that being innocent meant that he would be seen to be innocent.

“What I like about this storyline is the way it has gone back 29 years to 1995 when Roy first arrived. It is reminiscent of that early Roy Cropper when people were suspicious of his behaviour and thought he was creepy.

“And all this history will be used against him, things that have happened in the past like abducting their foster child. All that makes this storyline interesting to play and to watch it unfold.”

Coronation Street airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX.