Broadchurch Suspect Profile Number 1: Nige Carter




Before the final episode of Broadchurch next Monday, we'll be running character profiles of all of the main suspects in the hunt for the killer of Danny Latimer. Check out the main clues and the arguments in favour of each of them being the murderer. 

First up is angry, crossbow-toting plumber Nige Carter (Joe Sims)






Nige is by trade a plumber’s mate, working for his best friend Mark Latimer, Danny's father. He lives with his mum in a quiet street in the town. He’s close to the whole Latimer family and it’s not unusual for him to join Mark and Joe Miller on days out with the lads. It’s safe to say that he knew Danny well. He’d do anything for Mark, even provide a false alibi.

Nige has a more volatile and less amenable side. Fairly early on we learned that he carries a crossbow in the back of his van. He was one of the main ringleaders of the campaign against accused newsagent Jack Marshall and was never seen to show the slightest remorse over his death. However, it was in his dealings with Susan Wright that his true nature became apparent.

It became clear that Nige and Susan Wright were somehow linked, and Nige was aggressive towards her, first offering her money to go away and then threatening her with his crossbow. He even resorted to kidnapping her beloved dog, Vince, although he couldn't quite bring himself to kill the animal. In episode 7 it was finally revealed that Susan was his mother; in fact he had not even known that he was adopted until four or five months previously when Susan tracked him down to Broadchurch. He continued to use threats of violence against Susan to force her to leave the town for good. Susan, whose ex-husband was a convicted murderer who had assaulted and killed the couple’s daughter, believed that Nige was capable of all that his father had done. She remained convinced that she had seen him at the murder scene.




Nige’s alibi for the night of the murder was always quite dodgy and he proved himself early on to be a shocking liar. His attempt to cover up for Mark fell apart as soon as Ellie Miller asked his mum where he’d been. Nige claimed that he’d been up at the pub that night, but obviously that only accounted for part of the evening. It was after Susan claimed that she had seen Nige at the murder scene that Hardy, searching his house, came across his alarming collection of weapons. After that, Nige reluctantly admitted to late night poaching excursions from which he earned a bit of extra cash on the side. Hence the crossbow – a silent weapon that wouldn't wake the local farmer.

Nige tried to keep the Latimers’ spirits up after the murder. Was he was trying too hard? Was the meal he cooked out of guilt? He never seemed to be grieving for Danny like the rest of the family friends. But he always maintained his loyalty to the family, and they trusted him absolutely. Therefore it was a horrible shock for them to discover that Danny had been secretly accompanying Nige on his overnight animal killing trips

Nige also tidied up another loose end – that of the fuel theft from the farm in the first episode the night the murder took place. He’d siphoned diesel from the tractor to fill up his own van and made it look like a break in.

In the opening scene of Broadchurch, Danny is seen standing on the cliff edge with red liquid dripping from his hand. The liquid was presumed to be blood; however, Danny was not cut.

In the UK, agricultural diesel is dyed red.


Is Nige Carter the Broadchurch killer? Watch the final episode on Monday 22nd April at 9pm on ITV to find out





Comments