Broadchurch season 3: Who raped Trish Winterman? Who are the suspects?
BROADCHURCH season 3 sees DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller tackling a harrowing new case – the rape of Trish Winterman.
Broadchurch's Trish phones Ellie with more details of her attack
Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, has joined the cast of Broadchurch as Trish Winterman – the victim of a violent sexual assault.
In last night’s season three opener, Trish arrived at Broadchurch police station in the middle of the night after being attacked during a party.
Hardy (David Tennant) and Miller (Olivia Colman) are called in to investigate but discover that Trish is in such a state of shock that she can’t remember details of the assault.
Trish’s ordeal will form the main mystery of season three.
The show’s creator Chris Chibnall explained that he chose to focus on rape because of the rise in sexual assaults.
“Recorded sexual offences have been increasing year on year for the past decade: the most recent annual statistics showed an increase of 41% in reported rapes, compared to the previous year,” he said.
“Representations of, and attitudes to, sex have become more oppositional and confrontational.”
Olivia Colman and David Tennant are back for Broadchurch season three
But who is the rapist?
It has already been established that the assault was pre-meditated. The attacker waited outside of the remote manor house where the party was taking place to attack, before knocking Trish unconscious and tying her up.
We already have five main suspects.
Could Trish's ex-husband Ian Winterman be responsible
Ian Winterman (Charlie Higson)
Episode two introduced Trish’s ex-husband Ian Winterman.
It was revealed that Ian was at the party on the night that Trish was attacked, and his story about getting home was flimsy at best.
Suspiciously, Ian exercised his right to refuse a DNA sample, and at the end of episode two heaped a bag of clothes into a washing machine.
But would Chibnall go down the tired ex-husband route? Could Ian be a red herring?
Leo manages a rope and twine shop
Leo Humphries (Chris Mason)
Leo is the manager of Humphries, a rope and twine supplier, but it seems unlikely that he the man Hardy and Miller are looking for.
While he was rude to Miller, the 23-year-old has a solid alibi and so far there hasn’t been any evidence linking him to the attack.
Clive once went on an 'accidental date' with Trish
Clive Lucas (Sebastian Armesto)
Trish once went on an “accidental” date with taxi driver Clive, although it sounds like he was much keener than she was.
Trish told the detectives: “I had to turn him down,” with a sheepish look on her face.
Clive struggled to account for his whereabouts on the night of the attack, claiming that his taxi radio wasn’t working properly.
But when he was visited by Miller and Hardy, it worked “clear as a bell”.
Lenny Henry plays Ed Burnett
Ed Burnett (Lenny Henry)
A bag found in the bushes near to the crime scene came from the village shop that Trish works at, putting her boss Ed in the frame.
Ed seemed unconcerned when he heard about Trish’s assault, but would he have been so careless to drop a bag bearing the name of his business at the scene?
We know that Ed had a fight with Jim on the night of the attack.
In episode two we also learned that Ed’s daughter is police officer Katie Harford, who paid him a visit just before the credits rolled. Was Katie there to warn him that he was a suspect?
Mark Bazeley plays Jim Atwood
Jim Atwood (Mark Bazeley)
Mechanic Jim is also a prime suspect. He was revealed to have the same brand of condoms in his car as were found at the crime scene.
Suspicions were heightened when his wife Cath said to him: “I feel like this is our fault”. Could they be in cahoots?
In episode two the detectives found that Jim had a stash of fishing equipment, even though he claimed that he doesn’t fish.
It was also revealed that Jim and Trish have grown close. Could Jim be the mystery man that Trish slept with on the morning of her attack? And why did Jim have a punch-up with Ed at the party?
Broadchurch season three continues on Mondays at 9pm on ITV.