Family of suspected ‘Putney pusher’ hit out at Met Police ‘pressure’

The family of Nicholas Brandram, a multi-millionaire banker suspected of being the "Putney pusher," has criticized the Metropolitan Police over his death. Brandram, who was 44, was found dead in his West London home on Tuesday, and his death is being treated as unexpected but not suspicious. His family insists on his innocence, stating that he took his own life after enduring months of intense pressure due to a police investigation. There is no forensic evidence linking Brandram to the incident.

In June 2017, Brandram was held on suspicion of grievous bodily harm for shoving a 33-year-old woman into traffic on Putney Bridge nine years prior. This incident occurred as a double-decker bus approached and swerved, causing minor injuries to the woman. CCTV footage described the suspect as a man in his early to mid-30s with short brown hair, a stocky build, wearing dark blue shorts, trainers, and a grey T-shirt.

The Metropolitan Police interviewed over 50 men and arrested three suspects, but the case was closed in 2018 without any charges being filed.

The family claims that the police chose to arrest Brandram instead of inviting him for an interview and that they searched his home, leading to speculation and Brandram being identified in subsequent reporting. They argue that the police pressure Brandram for months, causing him to live with the stigma of an unsupported allegation, anxiety, humiliation, and extraordinary pressure.

The family says the police repeatedly asked to end the investigation and warned about its impact on Brandram's mental health but the investigation continued, ultimately leading to his death.