List of East Enders Characters (1987) - Darren Roberts

Darren Roberts, played by Gary McDonald, is the brother of Carmel Roberts (Judith Jacob). He arrives in Walford in July 1987 along with his son Junior (Aaron Carrington) and young daughter, Aisha (Aisha Jacob), who have different mothers. Darren had fallen out with his wife Darleen, and manages to persuade his sister to allow him and his children to move in with her at number 3b Albert Square.

Darren had attended school with Nick Cotton (John Altman), Graham Clark (Gary Webster) and Rod Norman (Christopher McHallem), none known for their law-abiding tendencies, and just like his wayward contemporaries, Darren also regularly dabbles on the wrong side of the law. Darren sets up various dodgy deals. He makes an enemy out of Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) for selling stolen goods on his patch; he gets involved in pornographic video laundering; instigates a counterfeit money ring; starts renting out an abandoned flat to squatters for a weekly fee; and holds a 'cultural evening' in the community centre, which is a front for a porn film screening and stripper — Dot Cotton (June Brown) accidentally wanders in and faints.

He gets on the wrong side of Brad Williams (Jonathan Stratt), a member of the gangster organisation known as The Firm. Darren wants membership into the gang, but after several attempts to gain favour, Brad warns him off by beating him.

Darren goes on to con Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and Barry Clark (Gary Hailes). Darren provides them with equipment for a mobile disco, but the equipment turns out to be hired and further hire purchase payments are still owed. Soon after, the hire purchase men turn up and take back all the disco gear. When Carmel finds out, she throws Darren out of her flat, after which, he disappears in July 1988, abandoning his two children in the process.

Days before his departure, Darren is questioned about the torching of The Dagmar, following Kathy Beale's (Gillian Taylforth) rape, and he purposefully implicates Den Watts as the culprit. Den, who is working for The Firm, is eventually forced to take the blame and is arrested for the deed. Joanne Francis (Pamela Salem) and Gregory Mantel (Pavel Douglas), two members of The Firm, who are watching Darren. They later reveal that Darren had moved in with a girl, whose boyfriend then puts him in hospital. He never returns to Albert Square to claim his children, and his whereabouts following this are not revealed. However, in 1989, Darren's accomplice Vince Johnson (Hepburn Graham) arrives in Walford. Vince regularly liaises with Darren by phone, and both are responsible for conning Frank Butcher (Mike Reid) in a motor scam.