Family of ‘Putney pusher’ suspect say he was innocent and blame police for his death
Family of 'Putney pusher' suspect say he was innocent and blame police for his death. Send your story ideas to hello. bbclondon@bbc. co. uk, externalRelated topicsLondonMore on this storyFamily blame police for 'Putney pusher' suspect's deathPublished15 hours ago'Putney pusher' suspect found dead at homePublished1 day ago
What happened
Image source, Family handoutImage caption, Nicholas Brandram was under police investigation over the 2017 incidentPublished18 September 2026, 07:54 BSTUpdated 12 minutes agoThe sisters of the man suspected of being the so-called "Putney pusher" have told the BBC the Metropolitan Police was "negligent" and "reckless" in its handling of the case. "They failed in their duty of care to our brother, to the wider family and arguably actually society because the Putney pusher is still out there. His family said he was innocent and "took his own life after months of immense pressure" caused by the investigation.
The family of Nicholas Brandram said there was no forensic evidence linking him to the incident. Nicholas Brandram was under suspicion of being the jogger who pushed a woman into the path of a bus during a run on Putney Bridge, west London, in May 2017. "And I think that the police's urgency to get him arrested and the urgency to get it in the press, I think he couldn't understand why there wasn't an urgency to help clear his name.
"The Met said it recognised the "strain that being subject to a police investigation" could cause, and that a mandatory referral had been made to the police watchdog.
The wider picture
The force said his death was being treated as "unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious". "The sisters told Today presenter Justin Webb it was "ridiculous" that Brandram was ever under formal suspicion, as he did not match the profile of the pusher. "They also said their brother lived in Notting Hill, had no connection with Putney and they had evidence to suggest he was in his Bond Street office at the time of the attack.
They said he "willingly" provided a sample two months ago in the hope of eliminating himself from inquiries and pleaded with police to speed up the results. He was a real family man and we've always been a very close family and didn't deserve any of this happening to him. His sisters Alexia Hicks and Sophie Volker told BBC Radio 4's Today programme his mental health was deteriorating and that "every day was becoming difficult" for him in recent months.
The force said the investigation into the 2017 incident remained ongoing. It added that it had no further comment to make in relation to the sisters' comments.
What has been reported
Brandram, who was 44, was arrested in June this year on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. Last week, the Met confirmed he had been released under investigation. The banker was found dead in his home on Tuesday evening. Figure caption, A jogger 'pushed' woman in front of busHis sisters said: "You know, the Met, they were negligent, they were reckless and they have, you know, failed our brother. "We provided evidence very quickly to show that this did not look like our brother.
Allegation was 'malicious or mistaken'"He had a withered leg from an injury sustained back from when he'd been in the army. "The victim had apparently reported that the attacker had had brown eyes. "He had a prominent military tattoo on his forearm, which understandably would have been visible because the runner was wearing a T-shirt.
What happens next
"So this came completely out of the blue, off effectively an allegation which must have been either malicious or mistaken. "In further criticism of the Met's investigation, the sisters said Brandram never received DNA test results. Paying tribute to their brother, they said he was warm, enthusiastic and charming. "He was our very, very, very loved brother and uncle, father, son. "Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external.