The family of Nicholas Brandram, the 44-year-old banker arrested over the 2017 Putney Bridge attack, has accused the Metropolitan Police of subjecting him to prolonged and unnecessary pressure before his death.
Brandram was found dead at his home in Chiswick, west London, on Tuesday evening.
His relatives said he took his own life after months of anxiety and distress connected to the police investigation, while insisting that he was not the man captured in CCTV footage appearing to show a jogger pushing a woman into the path of a bus.
The Metropolitan Police has not yet responded to the family’s allegations.
Relatives Dispute Evidence Against the Banker
In a statement, Brandram’s family said there was no forensic evidence connecting him to the incident and no evidence placing him on Putney Bridge when the attack occurred.
They also disputed the suggestion that he resembled the man shown in the CCTV footage, arguing that the available evidence actually pointed away from him.
The family said police should have invited Brandram for an interview rather than arresting him and searching his home.
They also criticised the release of information by the Met’s press team, claiming it resulted in speculation and ultimately led to Brandram being identified in media reports.
Brandram Remained Under Investigation Before His Death
Brandram had been released under investigation earlier this month while detectives continued outstanding enquiries.
He was initially arrested on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm in connection with the Putney Bridge incident.
During the same police operation, he was also arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A and Class B drugs, understood to have been cocaine and cannabis.
His £1.4 million property in Chiswick was searched following his arrest.
The family said they had repeatedly urged police to bring the investigation to an end and warned officers about the effect it was having on Brandram.
They said he had been left dealing with the shame, anxiety and humiliation associated with what they described as an unsupported allegation.
Police Treat Death as Unexpected
The Met said officers and ambulance crews were called to Brandram’s property at about 7.15pm on Tuesday.
A police spokesman confirmed that a 44-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene and that his next of kin had been informed.
The force said the death was being treated as unexpected but was not believed to be suspicious.
The 2017 Putney Bridge Attack
The incident at the centre of the investigation happened during the morning rush hour on May 5, 2017.
A 33-year-old woman was walking south across Putney Bridge in south-west London when a jogger approached from the opposite direction.
CCTV appeared to show the man deliberately pushing her into the road as a 430 bus approached.
The bus was travelling at about 12mph, but driver Oliver Salbris reacted quickly and swerved.
The vehicle narrowly missed the woman’s head.
She survived the incident without suffering serious physical injuries.
The jogger continued running and did not stop to check on her.
About 15 minutes later, he passed the woman again while she was still on the bridge and apparently ignored her calls to stop.
Police Previously Investigated Several Suspects
The original police appeal described the suspect as a white man in his early to mid-30s with a stocky build and short brown hair.
He was said to have been wearing a grey T-shirt and dark blue shorts.
Detectives interviewed about 50 men and arrested three suspects.
One of those arrested was an American investment banker who was able to establish that he was in the United States when the attack happened.
No one was charged over the incident, and the investigation was closed in 2018.
It was later reopened after new information emerged, ultimately leading to Brandram’s arrest.
Bus Driver Still Remembers the Incident
Salbris spoke about the incident in April, saying he continued to think about what happened while driving across Putney Bridge.
He said the woman’s head had been only a few centimetres from the bus and its wheel even after he swerved to avoid her.
Salbris also said his quick reaction prevented the incident from developing into something far more serious.
Brandram’s Military and Banking Career
Brandram had previously served as a captain in the British Army with the Scots Guards, including deployments to Iraq, Bosnia and Afghanistan.
He graduated from Newcastle University with degrees in philosophy and psychology and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 in recognition of his military service.
He later built a career in the City, working for stockbroker Killik & Co and Israeli lender Bank Leumi before joining HSBC’s private bank.
At HSBC, he worked as a director managing assets for wealthy clients.
He was suspended from his role following his arrest.
Brandram was also nominated for Private Banker of the Year for 2026.
Earlier Court Case Involved a Cyclist
Brandram had previously appeared at City of London Magistrates’ Court over a 2013 collision involving a female cyclist at Hyde Park Corner.
The court heard that he had collided with the cyclist while riding a 1948 Harley-Davidson and subsequently left without providing his details or checking whether she had been injured.
Brandram represented himself and pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and failing to stop after a road accident.
He received five penalty points, a £200 fine and was ordered to pay £105 in compensation.
A Family With Royal Connections
Brandram was the son of City executive Paul Brandram and a grandson of Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark.
Princess Katherine was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, a first cousin of Prince Philip and the daughter of King Constantine I of Greece.
Brandram’s father died in 2020 at the age of 72.
His cousin, Queen Sofia of Spain, publicly expressed her sadness following his death.
Brandram Described His Life Outside Banking
In a Citywealth Leaders List interview published in March, Brandram spoke about his professional life and interests.
He described gardening, opera and reading Frederick Forsyth novels among his pastimes.
He also said he regularly cycled from his west London home to his office in Mayfair.
Brandram described himself as a co-parenting single father to his three-year-old child and said he tried to be home for bath time.
He identified his mother as the person he most admired, praising her for raising three children as a single parent and describing her as a woman of exceptional integrity, courage and resilience.
He also recalled being invited to a Buckingham Palace garden party following his military service in Afghanistan as his proudest professional achievement.
