LUKESSTORY

LUKE'S STORY

Luke was born in Ireland to Niamh and Joey, on the 10th March 1978. As they were unmarried at the time, and Niamh only 17, they decided that Luke should be raised by Joey's sister Rose and her husband Don, as their own child. Leaving Luke behind in Dublin, Niamh and Joey set off for Liverpool.
At the age of 12, Luke found letters addressed to him from his parents. They told him how much they loved and missed him. He decided to leave his aunt and uncle, to find his unknown parents and brothers and sister. He wanted answers......

Following his arrival on the close, after Matt had flooded the family home, Luke settled in to No.8. His grandfather was already a tenant, lodging with Sinbad who kindly allowed the family refuge in their hour of need. Luke managed to secure a second job as a lifeguard at the soon to be opened Millenium Leisure Centre. Recently split from the latest girlfriend, Luke had lost no time in chatting up the girls on the close. He had struck up a friendship with Katie Rogers but his eye soon caught that of his neighbour Nikki Shadwick when the two families had struck up a friendship after her father Greg had offered to help them repair their damaged home.

Everything in Luke's life changed when on December 23rd 1998 he went along to the unplanned party at Mick Johnson's house.
His brother Ryan had recently returned from abroad and with Matt they joined in the party celebrations at No 5. Nikki already merry from a night out with her Uni mates was at the party. She was being harrassed by another student, Harvey Fairhurst, when Luke came to her rescue, much to the fury of her besotted admirer. It wasn't long after that Luke and Nikki found each other upstairs and began kissing. Both seemed to be keen on each other and Luke took her into a bedroom.Nikki content with Luke's kisses did not protest. However, when he tried to take it further she moved away and said she was not interested. Both returned to the party and within half an hour Nikki began to feel ill and could hardly move. Stumbling against Luke, she grabbed his shirt, knocking his drink over him as she fell. Taken upstairs by Mike Dixon, she laid on the bed in the room she had earlier been in with Luke.
The next day she woke, disorientated and sore with an empty condom packet nearby. She believed she had been raped. Dressing quickly and stripping the linen off the bed she ran home and disguarded the dirty sheets in her fathers rubbish bags.
The list of suspects seemed endless. With the characteristic flashbacks associated with drug rape, she accused Luke as her attacker. He was arrested and held in custody to await trial. While in prison he was beaten so badly he had to be hospitalised. While here he decided to escape, as he didn't believe he would be found innocent and was scared of being imprissoned for a crime he didn't commit.
Failing to reach Ireland, he hid in the close. Once again his life was turned upside down as his aunt and uncle, concerned for his well being arrive on the close. He learnt that his father had taken to drink by his guilt for encouraging his sister to have an abortion. This had made her sterile and to appease her, with Luke's unscheduled arrival, he had persuaded Niamh to give her Luke to bring up as her own child.Luke was mortified by this and believed his parents, especially his father, had treated him like a parcel or peace offering. The rows followed and Rose and Don returned to Ireland. After persuassion, Luke decided to give himself up and stand trial. He was found not guilty on both administering a drug and of rape but sentenced to six months for absconding from prison.
Bitter and depressed Luke returned to the close. He was greeted with mistrust and loathing and Nikki still claiming he is guilty. Returning from Ireland after a short holiday, was no easier but he managed to find employment at the garage with his father. Unhappy and thinking himself a loser, Katie rekindles her friendship with him. Till now Ryans girlfriend, she turns her attention to Luke.
Trying to get on with his life, Luke is still shadowed by Nikki and her accusations. The recent deaths of both her father and brother have unhinged her and again she has taken to the bottle believing Luke to be guilty of everything bad that has happened to her. Confronting him on the anniversary of her ordeal, she attacked him with a broken bottle, after spiking his drink had failed. Still denying his involvement, she threatened to commit suicide unless he confessed. Horrified at her increasing hatred of him, Luke knows he will never convince her of his innocence..........