Dr Ali Neeson has been jailed off-screen for four months, his 'brother' Ryan revealed on tonight's Coronation Street.
Viewers of the ITV soap will recall that Dr Ali grappled with an addiction to prescription drugs, causing his relationship with Maria Connor to break down.
However, Dr Ali seemed to recover but was intent on exposing love rival Gary Windass, who was then dating Maria.
But nasty Gary managed to get one of his minions to drug Dr Ali, making it seem as though the doctor had taken an overdose.
Yet his brother didn't believe him and boss Dr Gadass suspended him over his addiction struggles.
A frantic Dr Ali subsequently kidnapped Maria in a car and sped off as he ranted about Gary, trying to get her to believe him.
But gullible Maria believed Gary's lies and the loan shark smugly told Ali as such.
He went on to tell the doctor that he did drug him and warned him to stay away from Maria.
Dr Ali lost it and violently attacked Gary by punching him and kicking him to the ground.
He was arrested, but was released and charged before leaving the cobbles for a new life away from Weatherfield.
And now it had been confirmed that Ali will be serving a prison sentence for beating up Gary.
Ryan had been speaking to Alya after she lost it at Geoff, who had sabotaged her business to get back at her.
He said: "Look as much he's making you upset, you going and smashing the business up isn't the answer, is it?"
"I couldn't help it," she tearfully replied.
"Well, you're going to have to try," he implored her. "Do you know how much I wanna go round there right now and smack him in the mouth?
"But I'm not going to do that because he'd have me up for assault and I'd probably end up banged up like your gran... and Ali. And you need me here."
Alya picked up on his last comment, asking: "What do you mean 'like Ali'?"
"Yeah," Ryan sighed. "That was him who called this morning. He got four months, thanks to Gary Windass."
A shocked Alya asked: "Ryan, why didn't you say anything before?"
He replied: "Seriously, after the day you've had?"
"Ali gets put in prison and you can't even tell me," she tearfully asked as he shrugged.
Looking upset, Ryan responded: "He can look after himself. He'll be alright."
*Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm on ITV
