After more than a year away, the first half of You season 4 dropped on Netflix last week, with many fans wondering whether Joe Goldberg’s move to the UK, might finally see him turn over a new leaf.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen his obsession with the likes of Candace, Beck and Love lead him to some questionable decisions that would almost certainly see him serve a considerable amount of time behind bars, but will he finally get a taste of his own medicine this season?
Below, the team at BPP University Law School has revealed every time Joe has broken the law in part one of the new season, despite vowing to leave his past behind him.
*Warning spoilers ahead*
- Stalking Marienne
Picking up where we left off, at the beginning of season 4 we see a series of flashbacks that show Joe continuing to stalk Marienne. He even travels to Paris to find her, but ultimately tracks her down in London.
Upon noticing Joe, Marienne flees until he eventually catches up with her, where she confronts him and calls him a murderer.
Although he lets her go, to prove that he has changed, stalking in this manner is an offence under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. In order to be prosecuted one needs to be found guilty of causing the victim alarm and distress at least twice.
- Covering up Malcolm’s Death
Though Joe might not have actually had anything to do with the murder of Malcolm, episode 1 saw him attempt to cover up his death.
After a wild night out with Malcolm’s friends in episode 1, Joe discovers him stabbed to death on his kitchen table the next morning. Not being able to remember the night before as a result of being heavily intoxicated, he disposes of his body assuming he killed him himself.
Not only is covering up murder against the law, his lies about Malcolm’s whereabouts to the police would also count towards obstruction and perverting the court of justice, which can carry a life sentence if found guilty.
- Breaking Into Malcolm’s Office
Following his untimely demise, Joe begins to investigate why someone would want to murder Malcolm.
To find out more, Joe steals the key to Malcolm’s office and enters without permission to find out more.
Though harmless compared to his other crimes, Joe has ultimately broken the law by breaking and entering into someone else’s property, and in the UK this can see you handed a hefty fine and/or a short sentence in prison.
- Murdering Vic
It’s not really ‘You’ if we didn’t see Joe return to his murderous ways at some point this season.
After Malcolm’s funeral, Joe follows Kate down to the crypt while she pays her respects to him. Unknown to Joe, Vic (Adam’s bodyguard) has also followed them down there and catches Joe with Malcolm’s ring that has been planted on him. Thinking the worst, Vic attacks Joe, forcing Joe to kill him in order to keep his cover-up intact.
While Vic’s demise isn’t carefully planned like we’re used to seeing from Joe, if he is caught he would almost definitely be handed a life sentence in court.