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You play local career criminal Jake Little, how would you describe him?

He's a dangerous man, but also a charmer. He's not your archetypal gangster, but is always in the background and getting people to do his dirty work for him. He uses women and young girls to get what he needs, and has a way to push people's decisions.

He's an example of how one man can destroy an area of one community, how one man's dodgy dealings can wreck one area.

He's everywhere and because there is nothing for the kids and they don't have many role models, he can reach out to younger lads and be a "friend" to them. He'll put his arm around them and pull them over to the dark side, which he's an expert at.

He likes to feel that he's doing the community a favour and helping people who don't have anything.

Your character runs a boxing club which he uses to front his criminal activities, can you tell us about that?

Through the boxing club he'll get young kids involved, and that's the way he'll recruit his "little soldiers". They're already raring to go and he's got them looking after themselves. They are the sort of boys who know how to defend themselves, and Jake will use them to get what he wants.

He's well known to the police, but all cases against him fold because he intimidates the witnesses. If someone's weakness is women he'll use a woman to do his dirty work, or if someone's weakness is drugs, he'll use drugs to get what he wants. Nothing is a no-go for him. He's an evil character.

Did you enjoy playing such a corrupt character?

It was a great role to play because you can get your teeth into something really good, a great drama. I enjoyed preparing for it and I was looking forward to going to work every day. I would be apologising after some scenes to Jodie (who plays Sharna) and Ellie (who plays Kaz) as I was saying some horrible things and being terrible to them. They kept telling me to stop apologising, but I couldn't help it!

How does Jake take to the Judge's arrival?

He sees it as quite a personal challenge. It's the Judge's crusade to get Jake because of his involvement in drugs and how his criminal ways have impacted on Coburn's family years before, and still do today. But he's never had a case against Jake because Jake bends the system all the time.

Jake finds out about the Judge's secret past, does he try and use this to intimidate him?

There's one scene where the Judge is in a vulnerable position, laying on his back, and Jake comes in and stands over him. He tries to tell him that he's a straight guy, yet he does it in a way that is intimidating, not physical.

He tells him he has a lot of sway with the people and that the Judge should leave them alone. The Judge isn't fazed by this though.

What hold does Jake have over Kaz (played by Ellie Paskell)?

Kaz has fallen in love with him. She thinks he's given her a start by giving her a job, and she thinks she's really in with him after he gives her a little kiss.

He tries to win over her friend first, Sharna, but she won't have it. Sharna is really worried for her friend when she becomes involved with Jake and sees the hold he has on her.

Which scenes did you like filming most?

It's in episode three when Jake intimidates Sharna. She comes into the club and tells him to leave her friend alone, and he's reducing her to tears.

I loved all those scenes in the gym and with the boxers, especially because I like boxing myself. I used to box when I was younger and my dad's an ex-amateur boxing champion. John Conteh is in the drama and my dad used to box with him so it was great to do those scenes.