Watchdog Calls for Met Police Self-Investigation Over Arrest of 'Putney Pusher' Suspect Found Dead

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has recommended that the Metropolitan Police investigate its own handling of the arrest of Nicholas Brandram, a banker suspected of being the 'Putney Pusher'. Brandram, 44, was found dead at his home in Chiswick, west London, on September 15. Scotland Yard had referred itself to the police watchdog following contact with Brandram prior to his death.

An inquest into Brandram's death has been suspended pending the outcome of the potential investigation. An IOPC spokesperson stated that the watchdog received a mandatory referral from the Metropolitan Police on September 16 concerning prior contact officers had with Brandram. After reviewing the referral, the IOPC determined an investigation was necessary and that it should be conducted by the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards.

The IOPC has recommended the review examine the necessity and proportionality of the arrest, the nature of media engagement, and whether Brandram's welfare was adequately considered in line with policy. The watchdog also stipulated that if the internal investigation does not identify potential misconduct, the force's final report must be submitted to the IOPC for independent oversight.

Mr Brandram was arrested in June in connection with an incident on May 5, 2017, where a jogger pushed a woman into the path of an oncoming bus on Putney Bridge. At the time of his death, he had been released under investigation. His family has maintained his innocence and criticized the Metropolitan Police for failing to clear his name.

During an inquest on Tuesday, Coroner Melanie Lee stated that Brandram was found in an upstairs room by his brother-in-law on the evening of September 15, after he failed to attend a planned family dinner. Paramedics were called, but he was pronounced deceased at 8:58 p.m. The coroner noted that the death was not considered suspicious and showed no evidence of third-party involvement. Provisional post-mortem results indicated the cause of death was 'due to ligature compression of the neck'.

Scotland Yard confirmed on September 17 that its investigation into the Putney Bridge incident remained ongoing following Brandram's death. Brandram's sisters, present at the inquest, had previously accused the police of failing him and the wider public. They told the BBC that their brother did not match the description of the attacker and that the Met had been too eager to arrest him and publicize the case, while not showing the same urgency in clearing his name. His family has suggested that the immense pressure from the police investigation may have contributed to his death.