Emmerdale paedophile Maya WILL go to prison for abusing Jacob Gallagher but will get revenge, says Louisa Clein

EMMERDALE paedophile Maya Stepney is going to go to prison for abusing Jacob Gallagher - but that won't be the end of her, actress Louisa Clein has revealed.

The actress - who has played evil Maya for the last year on the ITV soap - told The Sun Online's Soap Bubble how the show is determined to end Maya's story the "right way" but that there is a lot of drama to happen first.

Speaking on the red carpet at the British Soap Awards, Louisa said: "The secret had to come out at some point, so I suppose it's been inevitable.

"She's been arrested and she's out, but there will be a court case."

Louisa added: "Listen we have a responsibility to tell the story and to tell it right.

"For every person who watches this story who has been in a similar situation needs to know that this story has the right ending. So I think hopefully we're going to tell that."

She added: "You know there is an inevitable fallout from this, isn't there?

"There are the consequences for all of the people that she has affected. It's not just Jacob, it's David, it's Leyla and Tracy and Priya. And all of the extended family in Emmerdale, that are consequences to come."

And with Maya facing legal justice for what she has done to Jacob, Louisa teased the drama is not yet over.

"The court case might have already been filmed," she added, hinting the drama will come after Maya is sentenced.

When quizzed on whether she's already said goodbye to her soap character, the actress added: "I can't possibly comment on anything such as that.

"I could come back..." she said before cutting herself off, hinting that Maya could return for revenge on everyone she blames for her downfall.

She added: "Come on, we're on Emmerdale, there's more drama to come."

The path of playing Maya has not been an easy one for Louisa, who is a mother of three, but she has relished the opportunity to play such a damaged character.

"As an actor you can't judge your character you have got to to try and understand why they do what they do," she said.

"I'm not condoning in any way what she's done, but she has these beliefs, and believes what she's done is right and that she's in love.

"I've tried to portray that.

"The audience has seen objectively how fundamentally wrong it is, but for her I've tried to just go on her journey.

"It's been a challenge. It's been difficult, it's been a difficult story for me, but it's been an incredibly exciting one."

She added: "I'm not a young ingenue anymore so to have been given a part like this is a gift.

"A part where you are challenged, you're given all these things to play, given all these psychological dilemmas and an intimate insight into a damaged character.

"It's been incredible to play."

But despite ratings success and awards, Louisa and the Emmerdale team have wanted to raise awareness of a kind of abuse not always recognised for what it is - when the victims are teenage boys.

"I really hope we're raising awareness, we're doing our best to do so," she added.

"You know I'm getting messages from people that are saying that and that's all we can do. It's all I can hope to do."

And she revealed how most of the reaction she has got has been positive about the storylines.

"It has actually [been positive]," she said.

"I think most people can distinguish between reality and not. People are saying that they hate my character which is good, I wouldn't want people to love me.

" But at the same time I think people realise it's not me. I'm actually quite nice."

* Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV

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