When a young couple's new life comes crashing down, they take actions against those who have wronged them, but when their troubles coincide with a spate of cottage burglaries, it is up to Nick to protect them from village scrutiny and a case of injustice. Meanwhile, Blaketon finds himself fending off the advances of Nick's cockney mother, Kate's aunt Eileen returns to Aidensfield to help with baby Katie, whilst Greengrass tries to con newcomers into buying land that doesn't belong to him.

Nick befriends Barry Jackson, a schoolteacher struggling to care for his mentally-ill wife, Sophie. When Sophie steals Barry's car and causes havoc in the village, a number of shoplifting incidents become connected to her, leaving Barry in an even more desperate position. Nick finds the case to be one of his toughest when Sophie is tragically killed in a house blaze. Meanwhile, Gina's curiosity lands her in trouble with an escaped convict when she becomes suspicious of a father and daughter staying at the pub, whilst Greengrass and George go head-to-head in a pigeon race.