Broadchurch episode 7: Whose DNA is on that sock?
The net is closing in on Trish's attacker, but who's connected to that sinister sock?
Episode seven of ITV's Broadchurch concluded with quite the cliffhanger as DI Alec Hardy confirmed that the sock found on the Axehampton estate in episode five was indeed the item used to gag Trish Winterman during her attack.
As if that revelation wasn't explosive enough, though, we also discovered that someone else's DNA was on the offending item, belonging to one of the men Miller and Hardy had been investigating. But who?
That's the question we've been left with - let's examine the evidence so far...
Jim Atwood
As of episode 7, Jim seems to have motive for the attack. He slept with Trish that morning, had an argument with her in the evening and struggled to get what he wanted with a waitress in the woods that night.
He seems to have a historical link to the other attacks too, with Cath unable to account for his whereabouts on the dates in question. Both Laura and Nira called a breakdown service before they were assaulted, and we all know Atwood’s Autos provides that service.
Plus, the garage sponsors the local football team, who wear the very same socks. If Jim had an honorary kit – or even played for the team himself – he’d likely have access to those socks.
Ed Burnett
Ed doesn’t seem to have the historical motive but he does have a short temper, and he’s rather obsessed with Trish.
The farm shop owner enjoyed a kickabout during Cath’s organised football match, so who’s to say he didn't have a similar sock?
He was hostile during the police interview and struggled to speak when daughter Katie encouraged him to tell the whole truth about the night of the attack. Could that be his guilty conscience at play?
Ian Winterman
Ian was forced to reveal the truth about his actions with Trish’s laptop when last we saw him. He’d had Leo install spyware on his ex-wife’s laptop so he could keep an eye on her and watch her through her webcam.
Could Ian’s obsession with Trish have spiralled out of control when he saw her having fun at the party? And could he be the one who used that old football sock?
Aaron Mayford
The convicted sex offender claimed to have been fishing on the night of Trish’s attack, but CCTV revealed he’d not taken the route he said he had. In fact, he lied about that and about what he’d done with the fish he supposedly caught, leaving Miller and Hardy gravely concerned about what he’d been up to.
Aaron seems to have disappeared since his release from custody in episode 5. Could the sock bring him right back to the forefront of the investigation?
Leo Humphries
Rope and twine boy Leo has been a curious character since day one, defying Miller and Hardy at every turn and lying about his whereabouts on the night of Trish’s attack. He was at Axehampton after all, and he did install that spyware on Trish's laptop for Ian.
His girlfriend said the lie she told for him was the third favour he owed her – could that have been a reference to similar alibis she’d previously been prepared to provide?
Given the fact that he’s a member of the local football team, he’s clearly the one with the best access to that piece of potentially explosive kit.
Clive Lucas
Taxi driver Lucas hasn’t been painting the best picture of himself as a husband or father since he was questioned about the attack on Trish. It’s already been revealed that he’s the one supplying son Michael (and by extension, Joe Miller) with porn, and he’s totally disrespectful to his wife.
We know he enjoys football, so he could easily own a pair of those run-of-the-mill football socks. Could the one found at Axehampton be missing from his washing basket?
And in other cliffhanger news…
Who put the bag of twine back at the farm shop?
Katie returned to her dad’s after he called her about something he’d found while he was clearing up. The young police officer was shocked to discover a plastic farm shop bag containing used blue twine, with traces of blood on it.
Now we know that’s probably the bag we spotted being taken away by a mysterious gloved hand at the end of episode one, but we have no idea who’s put it there.
Could it be the same person whose DNA was found on the sock? Or could someone else be involved too?
And what will Lucas do to his wife?
Taxi driver Clive Lucas was not best pleased when he arrived home to find his wife rifling through his drawer of curious items. Among the bits and bobs she discovered Trish Winterman’s house keys, which clearly link Lucas to the attack on the farm shop worker.
Is there an innocent explanation? Or has she just uncovered something that could potentially endanger her life?
