Three years later... Ellie and Hardy are called out to attend to a woman who has reported a serious sexual assault. They take the woman - Trish Winterman - to the SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) where she is examined. There's no doubt she's been raped - but where, and when, and by whom? Hardy and Ellie tell Trish that an ISVA, (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor) will be in touch soon. This person will help and guide her through the legal and investigative process that will now unfold around her. Working on a clue found at Trish's house, Hardy and Ellie discover the crime scene and call in SOCO to gather evidence. But it is an unusual and difficult crime scene - will they find anything useful? The initial forensics report confirms Hardy and Ellie's earlier suspicions - this was not an opportunistic attack, it was planned. Hardy concludes that they have a serious sexual predator at large in the town, someone who may strike again.
To Ellie and Hardy, and the rest of Broadchurch CID, it becomes clear very quickly that the location of the attack and all the surrounding circumstances are going to make this an incredibly difficult investigation. Ellie and Hardy start to investigate Trish's life. Who are her friends and family? The men in her life? They meet her ex-husband Ian, her best friend's husband Jim, and Lucas, a local cab driver. All of them were in the area when the attack took place. Ellie and Hardy need Trish to give her main video interview, which will be relied on in court if the case goes that far, but she is still in trauma. They need to move the investigation forward quickly as there is a predator on the loose. Trish's ISVA tells Hardy and Ellie that she doesn't think Trish is ready, but Hardy decides they should go ahead. But it is too soon - they do get more information, but Trish brings the interview to a premature end when they ask her a question that she is not prepared to answer.
Hardy and Ellie appeal to Trish to be more open with them. She may have information that - although not related to the attack - could help the investigation. Trish, for her own reasons, doesn't want to. There are lots of men to eliminate from the enquiry, and Broadchurch CID are slowly making their way through the painstaking process of interviewing witnesses and collecting statements. They start to uncover inconsistencies and lies - and previously hidden connections between Trish and some suspects. Trish receives an unnerving gift from an anonymous sender.
Trish returns to the scene of the crime - will she remember anything more about the attack?DC Katie Harford discovers a strong lead - a new suspect who doesn't have an alibi.Questioned by Ellie and Hardy, Cath reveals interesting new information about the night of her party.Finally, a breakthrough - Hardy and Ellie get a match on the male DNA found on Trish.An unknown woman walks into the police station. Interviewed by Ellie and Hardy, she delivers some devastating new information.
A new witness tells Hardy and Ellie their story. This information turns Ellie and Hardy's understanding of Trish's case upside down.Katie discovers a crucial new link between the case and a key suspect. Ellie and Hardy investigate the suspect's alibi more closely and find worrying inconsistencies.Beth tells her supervisor about Trish's case. Their discussion leads them to come forward to Ellie and Hardy with new revelations.Lucas reveals what he saw on the night of the party. Jim reacts violently, telling him to keep his mouth shut.A call from the owner at Axehampton forces Ellie and Hardy to hurry back to the grounds of the house once more.
Ellie and Hardy bring a new suspect in for questioning. In a search of this suspect's premises, Ellie finds devastating new evidence linking him to the crime.Back at the station, DC Katie Harford confronts Ellie and Hardy with an uncomfortable truth about her role in the investigation.Hardy and Ellie's new suspect gives them his detailed version of events, but when they dig deeper they begin to doubt his story.Ellie and Hardy discover that Ian has taken a personal item of Trish's without her knowledge. They seize it for examination. What can they learn from it?
Important pieces of evidence come to light against all the key suspects in the case – Ellie and Hardy can feel the vice tightening and know that soon, the case will crack open...
Hardy and Ellie uncover the truth behind the rape of Trish Winterman, and lives in Broadchurch are changed forever.
