Coronation Street Coronation St's Alison: 'Carla thinks she's lost!'

Coronation Street's Alison King reveals to Soaplife the dramatic courtroom moment when Leanne finds out the truth about Carla and Peter - and how Carla thinks that truth will set rapist Frank free!

We know Frank raped Carla, but the jury need convincing. And when Carla's caught out lying in court about her affair with Peter, it doesn't look good. "The affair's making her feel guilty," says Alison. "Even though it wasn't true that she was cheating with Peter at the time Frank raped her, they are lovers now." And, as she's about to discover, she's played right into Frank's dangerous hands...

Carla doesn't have a clue that Frank knows about her affair, does she?
"She thinks they're being careful. She has no idea he has a private investigator following them. She'd be shocked, but not surprised he's stooped so low. I think she's naive not to suspect it."

Does Carla feel guilty about betraying Leanne?
"She's trying to block it out of her mind. She has to focus on the here and now as she can't handle everything. It's all too messy."

Does she believe her future is with Peter after the trial?
"Yes. Carla believes Peter really loves her. In fact, he keeps saying he can't wait for them to be together."

How does Carla feel about giving evidence in court?
"She's petrified. She doesn't want to relive her ordeal. She's been wanting to get the court case over and done with, but now it's here she's dreading it. And Frank's composure is unnerving."

Does Carla think she'll get justice?
"She thinks that as long as she tells the truth about what Frank did that night then the jury will believe her, but of course in the back of her mind she knows she's lying about her current relationship with Peter and that troubles her."

How does she cope under questioning?
"She gets through it - but only just. When Frank's defence lawyer probes her about her relationship with Peter she becomes defensive; she can see it steering towards the affair and making her out to be a certain kind of woman. She doesn't want to cloud the jury's eyes about what happened that night and she also wants to protect Peter, who has stood by her."

Then Frank's mum suddenly produces a photo of her and Peter kissing!
"Peter's in the witness box, denying any affair, when Anne gets out this photo and passes it to Leanne in the gallery. Carla thinks it's all over. She hopes the jury will still believe that Frank did rape her, but it's a massive flaw in her case."

How will Carla feel if Frank walks free?
"She'll be devastated and humiliated. To think that a jury could believe she could make up a story that she'd been raped and lie about such an awful thing would leave her feeling hollow and empty."