EastEnders fans have been left confused after Ben Mitchell was asked to give his fingerprints to the police, despite previously spending time in prison for the murder of Heather Trott.
Last week, Ben was shocked when he discovered Stacey, Martin and Kat all in the Arches with an unconscious Phil at the bottom of the pit.
Stacey confessed she attacked Phil to stop him from killing her husband Martin but to their surprise, Ben said he would cover for them.
As Stacey and Martin packed up went away to avoid Stacey being questioned and potentially going to prison, Ben was busy planting evidence to blame his sister’s fiancé Keanu Taylor.
In last night’s episode of EastEnders (August 5 2019), Keanu was questioned but wasn’t worried as Kush witnessed him outside the Arches.
However, Kush told the police although he did see him, he seemed “a bit worked up.”
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Ben was also questioned about his dad’s attack and the police told him they would need to take his fingerprints.
But viewers were quick to point out that the police should have Ben’s fingerprints on file, as he had spent time in prison for murdering Heather.
https://twitter.com/ThisIsJ8/status/1158500473017643010
Wouldn’t the police have bens prints on file he’s been in prison… #eastenders
— MalibuBarbiie Delish (@MBDelish) August 5, 2019
Why are the police asking ben for his fingerprints? Surely they'll already have them??? #EastEnders
— abchelssss (@ChelsSucksRock) August 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/tamlizann/status/1158521002629967872
Trying to work out how the police don’t have Ben’s finger prints even though he’s done time for manslaughter. #EastEnders pic.twitter.com/7GN9nkIwHF
— Shemley (@ShemleyGordon) August 6, 2019
Sooooo….. Ben is a convicted criminal which means both his fingerprints and DNA are on a database so why would the police need to take his dabs again! #EastEnders
— WISEadultWorld (@TVWISEguy) August 5, 2019
#EastEnders in fairness it is a different actor now so they won't have Bens latest fingerprints on file.
— 𝓓𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓜𝔂𝓮𝓻𝓼 (@DaveMyers1) August 5, 2019
Why do they want Ben's fingerprints surely they already have them #EastEnders
— Luna (@mandylouandluna) August 5, 2019
Police asking Ben for fingerprints… A convicted, ex prisoner… and they don’t have his prints? 🤔 #eastenders
— Linzi Wilkinson (@iamlinzi_) August 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/LiamGoodwin__/status/1158454388245106688
Surely they already have Ben’s fingerprints on file… #EastEnders
— Dougie (@dougie_winter) August 5, 2019
Surely they already have Bens fingerprints after all he's done. #EastEnders
— Craig CT Thurston (@CtTweets08) August 5, 2019
According to the Gov.co.uk if someone under the age of 18 is convicted for their first offence their fingerprints stay on the database for five years. But if they offend a second time their prints are kept on indefinitely, and a person of any age who commits a crime like Ben did also has their fingerprints kept indefinitely.
Entertainment Daily! contacted a police source who stated: “Fingerprints and DNA are on file indefinitely for murder and manslaughter if convicted at court. They are usually taken upon arrest at the police station.”
Although Ben was under 18 when he had killed Heather, he had previously spent 12 months in a juvenile detention centre for putting his bully Jordan Johnson in hospital.
A soap source has explained that although Ben has had fingerprints taken before, this time his fingerprints would be taken as he is a witness to Phil’s attack and not a suspect.
Back in 2012, Ben and Heather had an argument and Ben ended up hitting her over the head with a photo frame, causing her to hit her head on on the kitchen counter as she fell.
The attack was witnessed by Jay and his father Phil helped to cover for him, but Ben eventually admitted to the police he had killed Heather.
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He was arrested and went to prison until 2014.
EastEnders is on Mondays and Fridays at 8pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.30pm.
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