Serial-killing villain Meena Jutla (Paige Sandhu) had that smug smile well and truly wiped off her face tonight (18th April), as she exited Emmerdale in dramatic fashion.

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Meena had spent the last year wreaking horror upon the village, starting with the brutal murder of teen Leanna Cavanagh (Mimi Slinger) in the summer. Since then, many other characters were impacted as Meena embarked on a killing spree, dispatching anyone who dared to get in her way.

Finally, Meena was arrested earlier this year after she couldn't resist returning from her vanishing act to destroy the wedding of former beau Billy Fletcher (Jay Kontzle) to Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley). And those two were the lucky ones as they escaped her wrath with their lives.

Now, thanks to the strength of her sister/kidnap victim Manpreet Sharma (Rebecca Sarker) and Leanna's father Liam (Jonny McPherson) in court, Meena has been found guilty of every single charge she was detained for.

Emmerdale Meena returns (ITV)
Emmerdale's Meena couldn't resist revenge - and it led to her downfall ITV

After a dramatic hostage situation in court, Meena was once again taken into custody, and tonight she waited to hear what her sentence would be.

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While Liam chose not to attend, Manpreet was in the gallery - and Meena was initially delighted to see her sibling. Back in the village, Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant) took a positive step to help the survivors as he arranged for a memorial tree to mark the residents putting the past behind them.

In court, meanwhile, the twisted killer wasn't grinning for long as she was sentenced to a minimum of 75 years behind bars. Looking vulnerable - and a far cry from the Meena we've all come to know - she looked at Manpreet, hoping for some kind of help.

But no one could do anything for Meena now, and she screamed out in distress as she was taken away. When we last saw Meena, she was frail and drawn as she cried out - but the harrowing noises of the busy prison soon overpowered the sound of her angst.

With Meena finally facing her fate, this marked the conclusion of one of Emmerdale's most compelling villain plots in recent years.

The question is, can Manpreet, Liam and everyone else affected by Meena's heinous crimes find a way to heal now that she is locked away for good?

Visit our dedicated Emmerdale page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV Guide.

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