Sisters of 'Putney Pusher' Suspect Accuse Metropolitan Police of Negligence

The sisters of Nicholas Brandram, the man suspected of being the "Putney pusher," have accused the Metropolitan Police of negligence and recklessness in their handling of the investigation. Brandram was under suspicion for allegedly pushing a woman into the path of a bus on Putney Bridge in May 2017.

Alexia Hicks and Sophie Volker told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that their brother was innocent and that the prolonged investigation caused him immense pressure, contributing to his death. They stated that Brandram's mental health deteriorated, and he found it increasingly difficult to cope as he was aware of the public perception fueled by media coverage.

"He was reading everything that was online. Because he was still guilty online," his sisters said. "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."

Brandram, 44, was arrested in June on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm and was released under investigation. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the investigation into the 2017 incident remains ongoing. The force acknowledged the strain that a police investigation can cause and stated that a mandatory referral had been made to the police watchdog.

Brandram was found dead at his home on Tuesday evening. Police are treating his death as "unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious."

His sisters expressed their grief and criticized the police actions, stating, "You know, the Met, they were negligent, they were reckless and they have, you know, failed our brother. 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."

Paying tribute to their brother, Hicks and Volker described him as warm, enthusiastic, and charming. They remembered him as a gentleman, a devoted family man, and someone who did not deserve the ordeal he endured. The sisters emphasized the close bond their family shared.