and himself altogether. He is in the house when David returns home, and keeps him silent when David's new friend Craig Harris (Richard Fleeshman) calls through the window. When Sarah returns later with her new boyfriend Todd, she leaves her daughter Bethany on the sofa. After she has seen Todd out, Richard takes them captive. Gail returns home in the evening, and has her hands tied by Richard, however, she manages to smuggle a pair of nail scissors into her hands on the way out of the house. The children are safe, but are bound and gagged in the family's car. While Gail tells them that she loves them, she puts the scissors in Sarah's hands. Originally, Richard intended to gas the family in the garage, until Audrey calls in and disturbs his plans. With the help of Martin and his friends, local mechanic Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) and Craig's father Tommy (Thomas Craig), they break down the garage door to see Richard has abducted Gail and her children. Richard then proceeds to drive off with his captive stepfamily. As Richard flees, Martin pursues him with Kevin and Tommy in another car. The trio catch up to Richard just as his stepfamily free themselves. They try to get Richard to stop the car, which prompts him to drive the car into the canal - though not before he shouts out to Gail and her children that "This is it! I LOVE YOU!". Gail, Bethany, David and Sarah manage to free themselves from the vehicle and are rescued by Tommy and Martin on shore. Tommy then goes back in the water to try and save Richard, but finds that he has escaped from the car. Later on, the police inform Gail that a body has been found at the canal side; she returns there with Audrey, and together they identify the body as Richard's. With her husband dead and all the troubles he inflicted upon both her family and the Weatherfield community over at last, Gail heads home with Audrey after throwing the rings that Richard gave her into the canal. Towards the end of March 2003, Richard's funeral takes place; with Archie carrying out the ceremony and Gail reluctantly attending alone to ensure that her killer husband was laid to rest for good. Shortly afterwards, Gail returned to join the rest of the community in celebrating Maxine's memorial. There,