7 burning questions we have after Broadchurch episode 5

1. Are the three cases related?

Thanks to Beth and her supervisor Sahana, we now know that there’s a third woman who could well have been assaulted by the same attacker – but is her ordeal connected to Laura and Trish’s?

Both women were attacked after parties, and both assaulted around the same time of the year. The as-yet-unknown woman was also attacked in early summer, but further details of what happened to her have yet to be revealed.

All three said they were bound and gagged, and both Laura and Trish recalled being struck from behind and knocked out.

Those circumstances are far too similar to be mere coincidence, right?

And for what it’s worth, there does seem to be a focus on the number three. There appeared to be three or so sets of keys in Lucas’s mysterious drawer and Leo’s ‘girlfriend’ says he owes her three favours when they catch up on the phone. Is it significant – or are we being far, far too observant?

2. Where was Aaron Mayford on the night Trish was attacked?

Nobody likes Aaron Mayford very much, so when his alibi for the night of Trish’s attack was revealed to be false, there were no gasps of surprise in Broadchurch's police station.

His car was nowhere to be found on CCTV footage of the route he allegedly took to the beach and the frozen mackerel he constructed a detailed narrative around were nowhere to be found in his fridge.

So where was Mr Mayford on the night in question? And could he be linked to both Laura and Trish’s attacks?

3. Where was Leo during the attack?

Rope boy Leo’s girlfriend backed up his story about having a pint at the pub and then heading home with a kebab but her version of events was so ropey it was clear that the pair were lying through their teeth.

Note to self, don’t get too far ahead of yourself with the narrative. Don’t tell the police what he supposedly cooked you for breakfast BEFORE they ask. And don’t take a great big deep breath before launching into the lie.

It’ll give the game away instantly.

To sum up, Leo’s got great access to the materials used to tie Trish up, and is clearly engaged in some dodgy dealings with her husband Ian.

Not to mention he’s got unlimited access to the football team’s socks. Speaking of which...

4. Who does the sock belong to?

Arthur from Axehampton was back this week and instead of horrifying DI Hardy with his complacency about items found in the grounds, he was getting in touch to hand over some possible evidence.

His dog found a sock in the garden of his property which could well be the item that was used to gag Trish.

The dark sock with white stripes matches the ones worn by the local football team, so does that mean it’s got to be Leo’s?

We know both Lucas and his stepson enjoy a kick about too, so could it belong to one of them? Or does it come from a kit owned by team sponsor, Jim Atwood?

5. What does Cath have on Jim?

Hell hath no fury like a scorned Cath Atwood. Trish learned that the hard way when she confessed to sleeping with Jim and now he’s been threatened with the full wrath of his wife.

“Do you know what your weakness is, love?” she asked him after going toe-to-toe with Trish. “You’re stupid, but you think you’re smart. That’s a very dangerous place to live.”

“I could set fire to your life whenever I choose”, Cath told her husband after warning him not to come home.

What’s she got on him? And will she choose to use it?

6. What was Jim and Trish’s “intense” chat about?

Lucas got himself into a spot of bother with Jim by revealing he'd spotted him chatting with Trish at Axehampton House on the night of Cath’s party.

“I saw you with Trish,” he commented as the pair drove back towards town in his taxi after Jim’s truck broke down. “I was parked up, you were out the front towards the side of the house. Looked like quite an intense chat,” Lucas mused.

“You just saw two friends talking,” Jim replied. “Looked like a bit more than that,” Lucas smirked. And then Jim told him to pull over, grabbed him around the neck and almost choked the life out of him.

Take from that what you will…

7. What has Mark got planned for Joe Miller?

He finally found him. Mark Latimer, ignoring all pleas from his friends and family to leave well alone, ventured up north where he caught up with Joe Miller.

We know he told Maggie he was heading to Scotland, but when you check the road signs you’ll see he is, in fact, in Liverpool.

Now, Mark’s already lied about his whereabouts and was spotted packing his craft knife and a hammer, so we can only wonder what he might be intending to do.

Will he confront his son’s killer? Will he seek revenge? Or will he walk away?

We highly doubt he’ll do the latter.