Whenever Ian finds himself in a bind, be it an affair, lying or sleeping with a prostitute, all he ever does is drop a few crocodile tears saying it will never happen again but in invariably does.

How the hell can he expect Mick Carter to take the blame for curb crawling when (a) they're not THAT good friends, they've only known each other a short while, (b) it would mean putting Mick's marriage on the line, which I doubt he would do.

I also found it bizarre that Mick didn't even seem shocked or annoyed. most normal people would say "Ian if you're not guilty then tell the police cos you got nothing to hide".

I HATE the way Ian, who does bugger all for anyone else, expects people to make huge sacrifices for him just because he's a desperate, woman crazy, ungrateful, curb-crawling prat!

Ian is a coward. He would do anything whatsoever to get out of being caught. He loses all rationale whatever the circumstances, I mean, look at the way he just packed the bags for him and Denise when Patrick said he was going to tell her about Rainie? The man just goes out of control. Utterly shameless.

Ian is a weak man

It seems very likely that Ian has no shame.

Mick is supposed to be a friend but Ian is taking liberties expecting him to cover up something as bad as this and even go to court for him.

Mick is a lovely bloke but a bit too soft, he needs to toughen up a bit otherwise weasels like Ian will continue to take advantage of him!

Ian is a coward.

Ian has been a little weasel for a long long time. He's always been a coward and a slime ball. I think this story fits him perfectly.

I didnt really like Mick being caught up in it all but it brings Cora into the story so I guess that makes it alright as it'll certainly be delish when she turns up at court to see the ho is her daughter lol

Isnt Ian currently hoping Patric dies to cover his secret?

I don't understand why Ian was hiding it before the idea of the press conference was floated: Raine is a great alibi.

I really don't like Ian's cowardice character. It does make it difficult to feel for him I guess.

Ian's got a lovely smile

Not so much a great alibi but an alibi all the same. i couldn't understand why he was hiding it either. i suppose he doesn't want people to think badly of him and he wants the sympathy. once a weasel always a weasel.

I think the only reason he was hiding it was because he had cheated on Denise so if he told he would then be exposed as being unfaithful. Wimp!

It's asking a lot to believe that someone you have known for about six months would take a criminal conviction for you Mick is now also guilty of preventing the course of justice re the Lucy case as he now knows Ian lied about his alibi. As other posters have said Raine gives Ian a solid alibi, I'm not certain Denise would necessarily need to be told who his alibi was as all it does is eliminate him from the enquiry not encriminate him.... Mike, Linda and Patrick all know the truth, no way on earth they will all go to their graves without sharing this with the rest of the square

Once a weasel always a weasel

Does it give him that solid an alibi!? Lucy was killed between half nine to midnight. Was Captain Beale humping Rainie for the full two and a half hours? If the police learn that he was lying about his whereabouts they would wonder if there were other things he was keeping from them.

I think this puts Ian even more in the frame. I presume he paid for an hour of Rainie's time, where was he the rest of the time? He also said he went for a drive. I get the feeling he's not just covering up for Denise's sake. Add in the reluctance to do the TV appeal and he's beginning to look like a guilty man.

Ian can't be Lucy's killer because that would mean that Adam Woodyatt would have to leave the show and he will never do that. Unless he gets away with it

Is there anyone reading this who would do what Mick did for Ian, even if it was a very close friend?

My take is that this has only been done because Lee will ultimately turn out to be Lucy's killer. I can't think why else they are pushing a Mick and Ian friendship so hard. As a result Ian's friendship with Alfie seems to be long forgotten.

It seems pointless to let Mick lie for him when Patrick already knows the truth and will inevitably find a way of telling Denise. Unless Ian kills him it's only a matter of time before the truth comes out.

To be fair, if I was Ian, I would rather be friends with Mick than Alfie

I really hope Ian's the killer after deciding to leave after 30 years.

If I was Mick I'd be making ian pay the £500 fine.

Where's this info from? You're not quoting an April fool's story are you?

Hating Ian is a given but i hate Mick more for being so weak

Ian has always been like this so at least they stick by it, always a weasel coward but a great character.