Troubled Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall) lashed out at stepdad Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) after calling the police on his mum Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) in EastEnders.

Recent weeks have seen the teenager go off the rails, and in disturbing scenes, viewers saw him punch Kat in the stomach in a rage.

After she pushed him away in self-defence, Tommy later called the police claiming he was the victim of child abuse, which had serious consequences for the Moon family during Thursday’s episode of the BBC soap.

The child protection unit arrived to speak with Kat, who was stunned to discover Tommy had shopped her. Stalling the police, she ordered Alfie to come home, before telling him all about their son’s behaviour and showing him her bruises.

Horrified, Alfie set out to find Tommy and bring him home to shut the police case down – but a tense clash followed, in which the teenager railed against Alfie’s parenting, and rejected him as his father.

Branding Tommy’s actions ‘evil’, Alfie asked: ‘Where has my kind, funny boy gone?’

Referencing the fact Alfie’s cousin Michael Moon is his biological father, Tommy hit back: ‘I ain’t your boy, you ain’t my dad.’

‘I thought we were best mates,’ Alfie said. ‘Always having a laugh, and me trying to give you everything I ever had as a kid.’

Repeating how he regards Kat’s ex Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) as his father, Tommy hit back: ‘Yeah, I know, it’s a bit desperate. I don’t want a saddo, 60-year-old mate. I miss Phil. He took us to Disneyland on holiday, not some poxy caravan. And I got my own room in his house.’

Eventually, Alfie managed to talk Tommy round, as they returned home and he told the police had made up his claim. However, Kat was perturbed to hear that the file would be left open.

Sadly for her, this does not look to be the end of her torment, as earlier this week, it was announced that these events are the beginning of a new parent abuse storyline that will see Tommy begin to use his behaviour to control and dominate Kat.

Executive producer Chris Clenshaw explained: ‘Kat is well-known in Albert Square for her no-nonsense attitude and fiery temper, but this storyline will explore how Tommy manipulates Kat’s unequivocal love for her son to exert his anger and elicit control.

‘Jessie and Sonny’s performances have thoughtfully portrayed the complex realities of child to parent abuse with compassion and understanding, and the storyline will demonstrate how Tommy’s behaviour affects their relationship and the wider Slater-Moon family as a whole.

‘To ensure we accurately and sensitively portray the realities of child to parent abuse, we have worked alongside Family Based Solutions, PEGS and NSPCC as well as other experts in the field.’