Metropolitan Police refers itself to watchdog over contact with 'Putney Pusher' suspect

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Chief Superintendent Dan Knowles said further investigative work is 'ongoing'

The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the independent watchdog over the force's contact with the suspect in the "Putney Pusher" case.

Nicholas Brandram was found unresponsive inside a property in Chiswick, Hounslow, on Tuesday evening, believed to be the former banker’s west London home.

He had been arrested in June in connection with an incident on Putney Bridge in which a jogger pushed a woman headfirst into the path of an oncoming bus.

Now, the force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over its contact with Mr Bandram, who was released under investigation following his arrest following the incident on May 5, 2017.

An IOPC spokesman said: "We have received a mandatory referral from the Met Police relating to prior contact officers had with Nicholas Brandram, who was sadly found unresponsive and declared deceased on September 15.

"We are currently assessing the referral before deciding whether further action is required from us."

Chief Superintendent Dan Knowles, in charge of policing for south west London, told GB News: “Our thoughts are with Mr Brandram’s family and friends at this deeply distressing time.

"We recognise the significant impact his death will have on those who knew and loved him. We also understand the strain that being subject to a police investigation can place on individuals and their families."

CS Knowles continued: "The investigation remains ongoing. Following Mr Brandram’s release under investigation, it was made clear that enquiries would continue while officers progressed outstanding lines of enquiry and forensic examinations.

"This remains the position, and further investigative work is ongoing.

"Investigations of this nature, particularly those involving complex evidential and forensic work, can take a number of months to complete as officers gather and assess all available evidence.

"As is required whenever a person dies following previous contact with police, a mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) on September 16."

A statement released on behalf of his immediate family said Mr Bandram had "took his own life after months of immense pressure caused by a Metropolitan Police investigation into whether he was the so-called 'Putney Pusher'".

His family denied his involvement in the incident and claimed the police had no forensic evidence linking him to it.

In a statement, they said: "There was no forensic evidence linking Nick to it, no evidence placing him on Putney Bridge at that time, and no credible evidence that he was the man shown in the footage. In fact, the evidence proved the opposite.

"Despite that, the police chose to arrest Nick rather than invite him to attend for interview. They searched his home, and the Met Police press team then released information which inevitably led to speculation and Nick being identified in subsequent reporting."

The family added: “For Nick, the consequences did not disappear. He was left for months carrying the stigma of an appalling allegation which the police themselves clearly recognised was unsupported by the evidence.

“He lived with the shame, anxiety, humiliation, and extraordinary pressure created by a wholly unnecessary investigation.”

They said the police were repeatedly asked to end their investigation and warned about the impact the investigation was having on Mr Brandram’s mental health, saying: “Even then, the investigation was not brought to an end. As a result, Nick is dead.”

The Met previously said his death is being treated as “unexpected” but not suspicious.

Following the incident, the force confirmed a 44-year-old man had been released under investigation after being arrested in June after a jogger was filmed running past a man before lashing out at the female pedestrian.

Police added that he was additionally arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A and Class B drugs.

Bus driver Oliver Salbris told The Sunday Times if he had not swerved, “I would have smashed her head”, adding: "The consequences would have been terrible for her, and for me."

It was reported at the time that around 15 minutes after the push, the jogger came back the other way across the bridge and ignored the victim when she tried to speak to him.