Line of Duty: the Jo Davidson Family Mystery

When AC-12 expanded the forensic search of Farida Jatri’s home, they were hoping to find evidence of Davidson’s DNA to support the theory that Farida was telling the truth about them having lived together and Davidson having framed her by planting the OCG-linked burner phones. They found that alright, along with a surprise extra. When the DNA deposits discovered at Jatri’s were run through the system of police databases, analysis detected that Davidson shares DNA with a mystery nominal, i.e. she’s the blood relative of somebody with a criminal record, known to AC-12. We don’t know who, but we know that the revelation was enough to elicit a “Mother of God” from Ted Hastings.

Let’s get to work then: who are the potential candidates for Jo’s mystery nominal relative?

Tommy Hunter

There’s been a fan theory linking Jo and Tommy Hunter since the very beginning of series six, on account of their shared Glasgow backgrounds. Many suspect that Jo is secretly Tommy’s daughter, but their relative dates of birth make that questionable. Tommy was born in 1965 and Jo was born in 1979, putting only 14 years between them. It’s possible, of course, that they were siblings. Jo’s next-of-kin is listed on her police record as Samantha Davidson, presumably the mother in episode one’s framed photograph (see above).

If you don’t remember Tommy, he was the former leader of the OCG who blackmailed Tony Gates in series one, and was revealed to have recruited DI Dot Cottan as a teenager and planted him as a corrupt officer on the force. Tommy was a paedophile who abused young boys in an OCG-run child sexual abuse ring in Sands View children’s home. After Tony Gates recorded a confession from Tommy before killing himself, Tommy was arrested and given immunity in exchange for providing information. In witness protection as “Alex Campbell”, the OCG made two attempts on Tommy’s life in series two, the second one successful.

All of which leaves the question: with Tommy dead by the OCG’s hands, what could they want with a relative of his? 

DS John Corbett

This is another pre-existing fan theory based on that framed photograph of Jo’s mother. Some fans think that the woman in Jo’s picture is Anne-Marie McGillis, the mother of series five UCO-turned-rogue-bent-copper-hunter John Corbett, which would make Jo his sister. When Anne-Marie was killed by the IRA in 1989 for passing information to the RUC, John was sent to Liverpool and raised by his aunt and uncle. The theory goes that Jo would have been sent to other relatives in Glasgow, hence the ‘siblings’ having such different accents.