Suspect in 'Putney Pusher' Case Found Dead, Friends Cite PTSD and Personal Struggles

Nicholas Brandram, an ex-Army officer who was arrested in June and identified as the suspect in the "Putney Pusher" case, was found dead this week. Friends revealed that Brandram had been struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from his military service in Afghanistan, compounded by two failed marriages and the intense public pressure of being labeled "Britain's most hated man."

Brandram was arrested earlier this year in connection with an incident in August 2017 where a female jogger allegedly shoved a woman into the path of a bus on Putney Bridge. The victim narrowly avoided serious injury thanks to the quick actions of the bus driver. CCTV footage of the incident was released by police in August 2017.

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According to friends and former Army colleagues, Brandram maintained his innocence and believed police had apprehended the wrong individual. They suggested that the prolonged investigation and public notoriety had taken a significant toll on him. Brandram himself had previously stated that he was not the person depicted in the CCTV footage, citing a withered calf, an injury he sustained during his military service, which was not visible on the figure in the video.

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Brandram served in the British Army and was deployed to combat zones, including Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Iraq. In 2012, he received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his service. Friends believe his experiences in these conflicts contributed to his PTSD, which they suggest negatively impacted his personal life and relationships.

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Before his arrest in connection with the "Putney Pusher" incident, Brandram had a prior conviction in October 2013 for driving without due care and attention and failing to stop after knocking a female cyclist off her bike near Hyde Park Corner. Despite these past incidents, friends described him as initially confident that the "Putney Pusher" investigation would be resolved quickly, suggesting he did not anticipate the duration and intensity of the inquiry.

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