Robert Ackland is the only child of June Ackland. In Episode 195 he was played by Justin Allder and in 2005 he was played by James Barriscale.
Background[]
He was adopted into a family, the Kents, who already had a child, David. David and Gabriel both joined the Navy, and Gabriel was determined to join the police force afterwards. This all changed when he wanted to find his birth mother. After a blazing row, Gabriel drove in his car, with his parents hot on his tail, but tragedy struck. The Kents' car crashed and Derek and Susan Kent both died. Gabriel and David went their separate ways, but Gabriel had been accepted for the MET's training course.
David Kent becomes Gabriel[]
Relishing the chance to exact revenge on his adoptive brother's mother, David joined the MET as Gabriel Kent. He requested to be posted to Ackland's station, Sun Hill, and it was successful. In his first appearance he attacked June whilst she was returning from a wedding party. After a few months at Sun Hill, David and June had a sexual relationship, until June's ex Jim Carver found Robert's birth certificate. At first David convinced June she had committed incest, then he told her the truth. For keeping quiet, David gave her the address of the real Gabriel Kent. She tried to tell Gabriel she was his mother, but she bottled up her emotions and left. Gabriel migrated to America. After two years at Sun Hill David became deranged, he raped then murdered a colleague; PC Kerry Young, used a sniper to kill criminals who couldn't be prosecuted, before killing him by throwing him off a balcony. When he was nearly exposed by an undercover journalist; Andrea Dunbar he was able to kill her when a van crashed into Sun Hill, causing an explosion. He callously left her to burn to death in the flames. His rein of terror ended when Gabriel returned from America, and wanted to see June. David tried to stop him, but Sun Hill was caught in a siege and Gabriel was shot by the gunman. David threatened Gabriel to keep quiet, but to no avail. His fiancee Sheelagh Murphy found Gabriel's ID in David's posessions. David ended his rein of terror by jumping from a high rise.
Gabriel's Last Episode[]
After recovering in hospital June visited Gabriel but they could hardly talk to each other. During the inquest to his brother's death, Gabriel asked June who his biological father was, and when she reluctantly revealed she was raped there was a rift in their relationship, but he forgave her. June disappeared from the show until the beginning of series 22, so it is assumed she took leave to spend time with her son.