Just looking back at some old clips (I didn't follow EastEnders much in the 2011-13 era) and have seen in some that Alice had been collecting stuff. Was it an addiction? There were a lot of odd stuff in there. (toilet brushes?)

Watching stuff from 2013? are you insane lol

Yes because of her grief of Derek Brannings death.

Her way of gaining control plus hence her reason she was sucked into Michael MOONS web.

I can't remember - where did Alice go? She was released from prison right?

She went back to her mums. She was released after her suicide attempt.

Thanks it kind of rings a bell. Did she go straight from prison, off-screen?

She was in hospital during the trial which is why she didn't appear on the video link in court. She left the hospital and went home.

She had a Michael addiction which ultimately led to her downfall.

That 'plot' was banished to the darkest recesses of BBC HQ, along with Billie the post thief.

This.
Alice had real potential IMO, but by the time people started to warm to her, she was on her way out.

I always thought it was strange that she went to live with her Mother, the one woman who never visited her no matter what was going on in her life

I think Alice did go to visit her quite regularly, but I always got the impression she couldn't really be bothered with her, hence why she came to live on the Square. And her mum didn't come to visit her because of Derek (when he was alive).