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Lachlan White is the son of Chrissie White and Donny Cairn. He moved into Home Farm with his mother, grandfather Lawrence and his mother's fiancé Robert Sugden in November 2014.

Lachlan was responsible for sexually assaulting Alicia Metcalfe and accidentally shooting his grandfather. He had a longstanding feud with Robert and was kidnapped by Aaron Dingle after threatening to lie that Robert sexually abused him. He was involved in the crash that killed James Barton, caused the car crash which killed Chrissie and Lawrence and left Rebecca White brain-damaged, murdered his best friend Gerry Roberts by bashing him with a rock, tried to kill Robert and Liv Flaherty and kidnapped his aunt Rebecca before holding her captive. He was also responsible for murdering Terry Bates or "Paul Tozer" and later hired his father to burn down the Dingles' home, Wishing Well Cottage, from behind bars.

Biography[]

Backstory[]

Lachlan White was born on the 26th July 2000 to Donny Cairn and Chrissie White. Aged four, Lachlan killed a bird. And when he was five years old, he gave his aunt Rebecca a dried up frog for her birthday. Lachlan's grandfather Lawrence White was a rich businessman and Chrissie and Lachlan lived with him once she and Donny split up. It is heavily implied that he was another reason why the White family moved to Emmerdale due to his troubled behavior.

2014-2016: Arrival[]

Lachlan First Appearance

Lachlan and Belle

Lachlan befriends Belle Dingle but her strange behaviour causes others to think Lachlan has been harassing her. Lachlan photographs Belle and realises that something is wrong with her. He helps her realise that she needs help, as do her family. Lachlan also makes friends with Jacob Gallagher and spends time with him at his house. Jacob's mother, Alicia is friendly with and feels sorry for him as she can see he is a bit different. Chrissie is grateful for this but it soon becomes clear that Lachlan's interest in Alicia is inappropriate as shown when Chrissie finds that Lachlan has a lot of photos of Alicia. He claims that this is because he is helping Jacob make a photo book, which is true, and Jacob gives it to his mother as a present.

Lachlan begins to imagine things about Alicia and thinks that he loves her. He later buys Alicia an expensive handbag as a Valentine's Day present but doesn't let on that it's from him, making her husband, David Metcalfe, wonder where it came from until Nicola King tells him that she saw Lachlan with it. David tells Alicia and she returns it, letting him down gently, but Lachlan ignores it and David's warning to keep his distance. Believing Alicia returns his feelings, he sexually assaults her but distraught, Alicia throws him out of the house and calls the police. He initially tells the police that their relationship was consensual and that they were a couple, leading her to be questioned about this. Chrissie initially believes him but later finds evidence that he is lying and on hearing Alicia's version of events, calls the police herself. She tells him and her father that Lachlan must take responsibility for what he has done. And after being kidnapped by Alicia's husband David he confesses that their relationship was all in his head and that he did assault her, he apologises to Alicia and her family for what he has done and is put on the sex offenders list for 2 years.

After finishing his counselling, Lachlan begins suffering abuse from other students. He starts to blame Chrissie for ruining his reputation. Chrissie decides to get in contact with his father Donny in order to get through to him. Donny suggests to Lachlan that he'd live with him to which Lachlan agrees. The next morning, Chrissie and Lawrence tell Lachlan that Donny had left to go abroad when in fact, he had been beaten up by loan sharks. After nearly being beaten up from other students and was saved by Alicia, Lachlan finally showed remorse and apologized to Alicia. A few weeks later, Lachlan goes to stay with Rebecca for a few weeks. He returns, aware of Robert's cheating, and becomes resentful towards him. After Chrissie is arrested for causing the helicopter crash, Lachlan becomes determined to kill Robert and gets a gun from the safe. Lachlan walks with a gun around the village and is informed by Rakesh Kotecha. That evening, Robert is shot and falls into a coma. After Lawrence confesses to attempted murder, Chrissie arranges Lachlan return to Rebecca for a few months. Upon his return, he and his step-aunt Gabby Thomas rob Eric Pollard's house and steal Val's wedding ring.

In June 2016, Lachlan used a spy machine to watch Belle. When Lachlan did use it, he saw Belle trying to kiss Dr Bailey but he refused to, so Belle left him. He took screenshots of the footage and sent them to his phone. The following day, he met up with Belle's half brother Cain Dingle in The Woolpack to show him the photos. Cain demands that Lachlan to bluetooth the photos to his phone. Later on in the month, Lachlan broke into Dr Bailey's and started to smash up the sitting room and the kitchen and them was joined by Belle who refused to smash their wedding photo. Dr Bailey and his wife Angie return home and both Belle and Lachlan made a run for it. Belle went back to get her bag but got caught in the act.

2016-2017: Shooting Lawrence and imprisonment[]

After everyone finds that Lawrence may be gay, he throws Chrissie and Lachlan out for good. Diane Sugden let's them stay at the B&B for a bit. Lachlan stole one of Lawrence's cars and drove around Emmerdale in it. He skidded to halt in a field, nearly running Lawrence over. Lachlan starts to question Lawrence about why he threw him and Chrissie out. Lachlan thought he was in a tantrum just because he is gay. Lawrence slaps Lachlan in the face.

At the end of July 2016, on his 16th birthday, Lachlan broke his way into Home Farm and held Lawrence hostage with a shotgun. Lachlan ordered Lawrence to text Chrissie to say that he is sorry. After that, Lawrence wrestles with Lachlan to try and get the gun, but Lachlan accidentally pulls the trigger, shooting him in the stomach. Chrissie rushes in and tells Lachlan what to do. At the hospital, Chrissie and Lachlan are told that Lawrence has lost a lot of blood, so they need to take him into theatre and start and operation. It was found out that the gun was planted in the car of Robert's brother Andy. Andy was sent to prison and charged with attempted murder. He then later escaped and went on the run, with the help of Rakesh Kotecha, Robert and Bernice White.

In October 2016, Lachlan gets kidnapped by Robert's boyfriend Aaron Dingle after Lachlan threatens to lie and tells everybody that Robert sexually abused him. Aaron and Robert took Lachlan to the quarry when he escapes and Aaron and Robert chase him. Lachlan nearly pushes Aaron over but Robert grabs him. Lachlan tells Aaron that Robert used to sleep with Rebecca when he was with Chrissie. Aaron and Robert put Lachlan back in the car boot. Later, Robert and Aaron have a chat when they see Ashley's wrecked car. Aaron avoids hitting the car but crashes into a lake. Robert rescues Aaron and went back for Lachlan who managed to make his own escape. Robert comes out of the lake and gets angry with Lachlan. Robert threatens Lachlan if Aaron dies, he will come after him however, Aaron survives. A week after, Lachlan lies to his family where he was, making them unaware that Lachlan was involved in the crash that killed James Barton.

In November 2016, Lachlan finally confesses to the police that he shot his grandfather Lawrence but covers his mother's involvement in framing Andy. Lachlan's family left shock when learn Lachlan had been charged with attempted murder and perverting the course of justice.

2018-2019: Murders[]

Episode 8041

Lachlan and Robert find Lawrence's body following the crash.

In January 2018, having become tired of his family, Lachlan blackmails his family into getting him a place with Belle Dingle, or he will tell Robert that the family plans on moving to Australia with baby Seb. However, Lachlan is horrified when Belle breaks up with him. When he finds out it was Chrissie's doing, he goes to confront her but finds his whole family about to give chase to Robert in a car when he snatches Seb. Lachlan reluctantly joins them. While going down Skipdale Road, Lachlan suffers a mental breakdown and tries grabbing the steering wheel, sending the car into the path of an oncoming lorry. The car collides with the lorry and is sent rolling down a bank, killing Lawrence who had been catapulted through the window after taking his seat belt off to stop Lachlan. Chrissie is trapped in the front seat and dies minutes later from a serious head injury. Rebecca also has a serious head injury but slips into a coma and is rushed to hospital. She is treated for in an ICU. One month later, Rebecca wakes up from a coma and can't remember a thing about the crash. She suddenly remembers days later, but Lachlan manipulates her into believing that Chrissie lost control of the car. The nurses say to Robert that Rebecca's memory has been affected due to her head injury. After Rebecca is discharged from hospital, she moves in with Victoria Barton and Lachlan moves in with the Dingle family at Wishing Well Cottage.

Belle and Lachlan began a company they named Whingles Ale, operating it out of a barn of Wishing Well Cottage using a starter kit. They recruited Priya Kotecha to help sell the product, and close friend Gerry Roberts to help with the making and advertising of the product.

Episode 8151

Lachlan causes the B&B to fall on Gerry.

In May 2018, Belle goes missing so he and friend Gerry Roberts go looking for her, as Lachlan becomes increasingly worried he says he doesn't want anyone else to die because of him, Gerry takes notice of this and becomes suspicious, so he makes it his priority to find the incriminating voice mail Lachlan sent him the day of the crash. He eventually recovers it and is horrified to hear the crash unfold. He later confronts Lachlan to which Lachlan tells him not to tell anyone. As Lachlan becomes increasingly worried that Gerry will let his secret slip as Gerry makes jokes relating to the crash, he lures Gerry to the B&B which was under renovation and tells him to go over to get one of the beer kegs which Lachlan had moved. Gerry does and Lachlan kicks a barrel into the support column, knocking it down and bringing the roof with it. Gerry is crushed by debris, whilst Lachlan narrowly avoids getting crushed. However, Gerry survived, and, despite his pleas, Lachlan hits Gerry over the head with a rock - a fatal blow.

Lachlan allows Doug Potts to take the blame. However, he tries to reassure Doug that Gerry's death wasn't his fault, all the while keeping Gerry's death secret. Doug was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to community service. A man arrives, claiming to be Gerry's uncle Terry. He threatened to sue Doug but Doug took care of him and the man dropped the charges. However, Lachlan caught the man (who at this point was revealed to be a conman) robbing The Grange. When the man revealed he had seen Gerry's incriminating drawings, a fight ensued but the man got away.

Episode 8184

Lachlan goes after Freddy with a rock.

Lachlan and Belle stormed into a meeting between Priya and potential client Freddy. Freddy was unimpressed and pulled his investment but Belle gave him a talking to. Belle was offered a job in London, however, Lachlan was furious to discover he wouldn't be able to see Belle for a year. After celebrating Belle's job offer in The Woolpack, Priya gets Lachlan to drive her home. Instead, Lachlan follows Freddy to a nearby hotel and sneaks up behind him with a rock, intending to cave his head in. However, he is interrupted with a call from Belle and is shocked to turn around and see a frightened Priya run into a taxi. His fears were put to rest though, as Priya confronted Lachlan with her beliefs that he was about to sexually assault her. Belle stood up for Lachlan and as a result, Priya quit her job.

Lachlan began receiving anonymous text messages and assumed the conman had managed to obtain his number. Worried about the conman revealing his secret, Lachlan went to lengths to try to track him down - going around the funeral homes to see if he could find the conman. Eventually, he had success and followed the man in his car. He caught up and killed the man, burying his body in the Home Farm woods.

Episode 8204

Lachlan grabs a terrified Rebecca when she finds Robert and Liv unconscious.

After the conman's death, Lachlan was confused and horrified when the texts continued. He discovered that Liv Flaherty was the culprit and caused a carbon monoxide leak in Mill Cottage. Lachlan realised that Seb may have been inside the house and goes to look for him, and is relieved to discover Robert had asked Diane to look after him. However, on his way out, Lachlan bumped into Liv. Liv became suspicious of Lachlan but Lachlan shoved her, causing her to head her head on a plug point, and left her unconscious in the gassed house. Leaving the property, he encountered Rebecca who didn't realise Seb was with Diane. Lachlan told her Seb was with Diane and was insistent that she could not enter, scaring Rebecca who ran past and found Robert and Liv unconscious. Lachlan then grabs a terrified Rebecca and her fate is left unknown. Later, Aaron returned home and rung an ambulance. Robert couldn't remember much and Liv didn't remember much, but Liv was insistent that Lachlan caused the leak. Liv was forced to keep quiet when Lachlan claimed he didn't know anything, and Aaron and Robert told her to drop it.

Lachlan suffocates Bex (2018)

Lachlan suffocates Rebecca after re-capturing her.

Rebecca was later revealed to be alive and Lachlan had held her hostage in one of the huts on the Glamping Site. Rebecca pleaded with Lachlan to let her go and offered to move away with Seb. Lachlan didn't trust her and refused to let her go, however, Rebecca managed to break free and hit Lachlan over the head with a pan. Lachlan awoke and a foot chase ensued, resulting in Lachlan tripping and falling down a bank. Distracted by the sight of an unconscious Lachlan, Rebecca tripped and knocked herself out, and Lachlan regained consciousness. Eventually, Rebecca woke up back at the hut and pretended to have forgotten everything this year, but Lachlan saw through her facade and began to suffocate her.

Episode 8239

Lachlan burns down the hut he kept Rebecca captive in.

Lachlan managed to make it look like Rebecca had fled to Wales to stay with friends without any sort of warning. He managed to get Rebecca's memory book so nobody would try to find it. However, Lydia Hart found it in Lachlan's possession and Lachlan spun her a web of lies about how he held onto it to remember her. Robert was unconvinced that she would leave Seb and made attempts to try to find her but to no avail. Lachlan seemed out of the woods until new Home Farm owner Joe Tate hired Priya, and Priya pitched an idea to Joe about how the old glamping site could be used. Lachlan began becoming wary of Priya's presence and when she discovered some writing Rebecca had carved into the wall that read "LACHLAN IS A KILLER", he attempted to scratch it out. He was nearly caught by Priya, and he quickly lied that he was going for a jog. Priya discovered the writing and a desperate Lachlan burnt down the hut. Priya rang the police but they found a bloody rock, with the blood coming back as belonging to the conman - Paul Tozer. Lachlan caught wind of the fact that it had become a murder investigation and quickly dug up the body.

Lachlan & Belle (2018)

Lachlan tries to convince Belle to go on the run with him.

Lachlan tried to bury Tozer's body in the garden of Wishing Well Cottage. However, unknown to him, Sam Dingle had returned home and caught Lachlan burying Tozer's body. In his desperation, Lachlan beat Sam half to death and left him unconscious and bleeding behind the bar inside. Belle discovered blood on Lachlan's jersey and caught Lachlan out on his lies. He revealed that it was Sam's blood and Belle found her brother severely beaten behind the bar - seeing Lachlan's true colours. Lachlan begged for Belle to leave with him, telling her she could call an ambulance on the way. However, he was disturbed by someone at the door - Robert. He hid from Lachlan upon realising he was armed and managed to sneak into the house. He tried to help Belle escape but Lachlan walked in and caught him, tying him to a chair and smashing his phone. Robert managed to untie himself and made a dive for the gun. During the ensuing fight, the gun went off, slightly injuring Lachlan and alerting Zak and Cain Dingle. However, when the pair made it to the farmhouse, Belle and Lachlan had gone and Zak rang for an ambulance for Sam and police for Lachlan.

Lachlan Surrenders (2018)

The police finally catch up to Lachlan.

Lachlan broke into the flat he and Belle were purchasing and kept Belle captive in the house. Belle told Lachlan that Cain had a friend who could get them fake passports and possibly her schizophrenia medication so they could skip the country, but Lachlan became suspicious when she suddenly became nice to him. Belle lied that she was pregnant and she got into the car. However, Belle quickly locked the doors before Lachlan could get in but the car cut out when Belle was reversing. Lachlan caught up and Belle swung open the door, bashing Lachlan's leg where he had been injured by the gunshot wound. She made a run for it, and he went into pursuit, finally catching up to her. He confronted her and realised that Belle had been playing him since the revelation, and began to believe Belle didn't really love him. When Belle runs off, Lachlan goes in pursuit, but trips and fires the gun, making Belle go even faster in the opposite direction. He eventually made it onto the road where he was horrified to find that she had been hit by Robert's car and accused Robert of running Belle over for revenge. He tried to awaken Belle but armed officers arrived as well as an ambulance and Lachlan was arrested and taken to custody.

Lachlan demanded to know if Belle was alright but DS Sanders refused to disclose any information about her condition,along with explaining his charges he is facing and told Lachlan he was no longer in control. Knowing there was a search out for Rebecca, Lachlan admitted Rebecca was alive and told DS Sanders that he would disclose Rebecca's whereabouts if he was allowed to see Belle again.

Episode 8365

Lachlan's last appearance

In January 2019, sends his dad Donny to get revenge on the Dingles. After Gloria the pig is killed, Belle arranges a visit with Lachlan to find out what he is up to. It emerges that Lachlan has promised his father Donny money to intimidate and get revenge on the Dingles. Lachlan is sentenced to life in prison after Belle got a phone call from Rebecca in court, but Donny went for one last act of revenge towards the Dingles, setting the Woolpack on fire whilst stabbing Vanessa Woodfield, leaving her for dead, and accidentally kidnapping her 3-year-old son Johnny. But that takes a turn when Belle convinces Donny in hospital that his son is a psychopath and he agrees to help her, secretly wearing a wire underneath his clothes whilst visiting Lachlan, exposing his involvement in the attacks on the Dingles. He now remains in a maximum state prison for his actions. Lachlan transfers prisons in 2023.

Career[]

Employment history[]

Role Institution Duration
Events Manager Home Farm Estate October 2017 to 10th January 2018
Co-founder Whingles Ale April 2018 to present

Residences[]

Address Duration
Home Farm 10th November 2014 to 17th November 2016
Skipdale Young Offenders Institute 17th November 2016 to 20th April 2017
Home Farm 20th April 2017 to 3rd August 2017
Jacobs Fold 3rd August 2017 to 30th October 2017
Home Farm 30th October 2017 to 11th January 2018
Wishing Well Cottage 15th January 2018 to 6th September 2018
HMP Hotten 6th September 2018 to June 2023
HMP Sheffield June 2023 to present

Quotes[]

"I read about that. Killed by her best friend. Did you know her?" - first line, to Belle Dingle at Gemma Andrews' shrine.


"How can you say that? All my life you've been there. You and mum. You're all I've got." - moments before Lachlan shoots his granddad, Lawrence White.


"Make all the monsters disappear... but it was you. You were the monster. You always were."- to Chrissie White, before causing a car crash that killed her and Lawrence White.


"Why couldn't you just die?" - to Gerry Roberts after causing the roof in The Grange to cave in.


"We both know what happened to them, don't we?" - before murdering Gerry with a rock.


"Belle for Rebecca." - to DS Sanders.


"I'm sorry." - final line, to Belle Dingle.

Additional information[]

See also[]

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