The complaints related to an episode aired in October 2006, when builder Charlie Stubbs, played by Bill Ward, tied up teenager David Platt, played by Jack Shepherd, and forced his head under water.
In the scene David's hands are tied behind his back and he is made to kneel next to a bath full of water. Charlie then forces David's head under the water several times and holds it there for a few seconds.
ITV said it had sought to minimise the impact of the bathroom scenes by inter-cutting other scenes of ordinary street life at various points throughout the "dunkings". On the "dunkings" themselves, ITV1 said that the scenes featured only brief shots of the submersion, focussing more on the dialogue between David and Charlie, which had a comic element.
ITV1 said it considered that the potential for emulation of this type of behaviour, by those with no previous disposition towards anti-social conduct was very limited. Pointing out that there is nothing novel in the concept of "dunking" as a punishment.
Ofcom received complaints from worried viewers about the timing of such scenes as they were shown before the 9pm watershed. However, Ofcom has stated that these scenes were "editorially justified".
Ofcom considered that the violence featured is not easily imitated by children in a manner that is harmful or dangerous. To imitate the "dunking" shown would require considerable force, and for the victim to be tall enough to kneel beside a bath, but simultaneously be capable of submerging his head in the water contained in it.
Ofcom said: "Even if there were some risk of imitation, we believe that the scenes were editorially justified by the plot development, the characters involved, and the manner in which it was edited."
Ofcom has said that although ITV did give some warning of the episode's contents, it should have given a more graphic hint of the storyline.
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