Simon Howe

Simon Howe is a character from the Channel 4 soap Brookside. He was played by Lee Hartney from 1993 until the characters suicide in 1994.^[1]

Background and introduction

Howe started work at the garage alongside Terry Sullivan in 1993. The two contrasted, Simon's piety and Terry's drinking and criminal activity. After sometime they started to get on and the two went for a drink. Simon then invited Terry back to the house he was renting (no. 5). Later when Simon was having a religious meeting he invited Terry to join but Terry declined.

Relationship with Katie Rogers

Howe preyed on people who had personal tragedy. Like Terry, Katie Rogers had also experience personal tragedy through the death of her father Frank in a car crash in November 1993. Simon indoctrinated her into his cult and took her virginity as initiation into the group.

Terry joins the cult

Despite his initial reluctance Terry soon proved easy prey for Simon after the death of his wife and son. In indoctrinating Terry, Simon however invokes the wrath of Terry's friend Barry Grant.

Vendetta with Barry

With Barry already disliking Simon for brain-washing his best friend Terry, Simon further antagonises Barry by handing out leaflets warning of the 'perils of drink' outside Barry's bar. Barry threatens Simon, leaving Simon deciding to get him back. When the lease on No.5 expires Simon decides he wants to buy it to use it as his church. Barry however buys back his old house before Simon can and begins eviction proceedings.

The bomb

Deciding that if he couldn't have his house then nobody could, Simon decided to blow it up. When Barry breaks in trying to evict Simon, Simon captures him and ties him up. He then makes a homemade bomb, releasing Barry just before setting the bomb. The bomb explodes, however it only causes superficial damage. Barry escapes; however, Simon and Terry are standing too near to the house and are injured. Barry visits Terry, who, to Barry's surprise, stays loyal to Simon.

Suicide pact

After recovering, Simon tells Terry that their work is done and it is time to die. The two try to asphyxiate themselves with exhaust fumes in a car. Barry finds them and rescues Terry only, leaving Simon to die.

Legacy

Some time after Simon's death, ex-cult member Caroline Lewis arrives to break the news to Katie that she is HIV positive; that she contracted the virus as a direct result of having unprotected sex with Simon and to warn Katie that she herself may have been put at risk. Katie eventually plucks up the courage to attend a clinic for an HIV test and is relieved to be found to be Antibody Negative. Katie subsequently develops an eating disorder due to all the stress she has been under over the previous year and receives counselling to help her through her problems.

References