The Drunk Lad and his four mates were hanging around the streets, drinking from cans, when Kelly Neelan staggered across their path. She had been living homeless for several weeks after being released from custody after being found guilty of the murder of Seb Franklin, a crime for which Corey Brent was later proved to be the true culprit.
Tempted to try spice by a dealer who hoped to entice her into being one of his regular customers, she asked the four lads and one girl if they had any change and told them to do one when they laughed at her. The five were not to be put off from their amusement and followed her as she stumbled away, flinging insults in her direction. The second drunk lad poured his remaining lager over her head while the first showed her money and told her to get on her knees and beg for it.
Rescue came in the unlikely form of Nina Lucas, Seb's girlfriend, who Kelly had slapped on the night when Seb died when Kelly was in the opposing camp of being part of a group of similarly aggressive, drunk youngsters. Having flashbacks to how she had suffered, Nina tried to overcome her panic attack and yelled at Kelly's persecutors to stop. They turned her ire on her, but she managed to stand her ground and told them she had called the police. As they heard the sirens approaching, the five gave up their abuse and left the area, leaving Nina to take her own attacker back to the safety of Coronation Street.