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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney

Coronation Street actor playing rapist Aaron admits he struggled with harrowing storyline

Coronation Street actor James Craven admits he found his character's latest plotline hard to handle at the beginning.

James, who plays Aaron Sandford on the ITV soap, says he struggled when bosses told him his character would be at the centre of a harrowing rape storyline.

Viewers watched in horror earlier this year as Aaron had sex with Amy while she was passed out following a day of heavy drinking, but she did not give him consent to do so.

When Amy confronted him about raping her, he lied and said she instigated things and that they were as drunk as each other.

Amy, played by actress Elle Mulvaney, finds it even more tough when Aaron begins to manipulate her friends, prompting her to flee to cobbled streets of Weatherfield.

Aaron actor James admits there is a part of his on-screen persona that is now starting to 'think back' to his actions that night, and admits his character is feeling guilty about what he is doing to Amy.

Quizzed about how he is finding playing out Aaron's journey, when the character doesn't think he's done anything wrong, actor James confesses it was tough at the start of filming.

"I think that's what I struggled with in the beginning, because it was always clear to me that what he's done is wrong," James explains to new! magazine, "But I had to try and think about everything from his point of view."

He continues to add: "The reason that he reacts and defends himself in the way that he does is because he truly believes he's innocent. As an actor you have to try and find a way to rationalise why he does what he does because he's not an evil character."

Corrie fans should prepare themselves for some tough episodes over the next few weeks, as they'll see Amy leave her family fearing for her life after she's rushed to hospital due to an overdose on booze.

Despite the fact that she reported Aaron to police initially, Amy has since opted to change her statement and the charges against him have subsequently been dropped.

Since making the decision to change her statement which resulted in Aaron becoming a free man and getting away with his heinous crime, Amy has been a shell of herself and has struggled seeing him back on the cobbles as he repeatedly denies that he did any harm to her.

Following Aaron's latest run-in with Amy after his release, upcoming episodes will see the extent of Amy's downfall.

After going through the traumatic experience, Amy realises that the stress and trauma are affecting her university work, and to numb the pain and anguish, she drinks an entire bottle of vodka.

Summer then finds her passed out in the garden, with the bottle by her side, and immediately calls an ambulance.

And as Amy's nearest and dearest await her recovery, viewers will discover whether or not Aaron will finally realise his wrongdoing.

*If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999

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