Sisters claim Met Police 'negligent' in 'Putney pusher' suspect case
Nicholas Brandram, suspected in the 2017 Putney Bridge bus incident, died this week.
Trust 42Craft 60Hype 45How this was reported ▾
The central claim is attributed to named individuals, but the Met's response is limited, and no official documents are cited.
How well corroborated and evidenced the reporting is. Higher is better.
The reporting clearly separates the family's claims from the Met's statement and explains the context of the investigation.
Context, balance and separation of fact from comment. Higher is better.
The headline uses strong language like 'negligent' and 'reckless' which is directly quoted from the family, but the story itself is balanced.
How far presentation runs ahead of substance. Lower is better.
1 source assessed · methodology
The sisters of Nicholas Brandram, who was suspected of being the individual who pushed a woman into the path of a bus on Putney Bridge in May 2017, have stated that the Metropolitan Police investigation was both negligent and reckless. Alexia Hicks and Sophie Volker told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that their brother died by suicide after enduring months of significant pressure stemming from the police inquiry.
Mr Brandram, aged 44, was arrested in June on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. He was subsequently released under investigation by the Metropolitan Police. He was found deceased at his home on Tuesday evening. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed that his death was being treated as unexpected but not suspicious.
A2 Drivers Face Four Nights of Overnight Closures
Planned works will impact sections of the major route between Friday, September 18 and Tuesday, September 22.
Family's claims of police failings
His sisters told the BBC that their brother's mental health declined during the investigation, stating that he was constantly reading online material that still identified him as guilty. They expressed that he could not comprehend why the police showed urgency in arresting him and publicising the case, but not in clearing his name. 'The Met, they were negligent, they were reckless and they have, you know, failed our brother,' they said. '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.'
The family provided evidence to the police suggesting that Mr Brandram did not match the description of the attacker. According to his sisters, the victim reported the attacker had brown eyes, whereas Mr Brandram had blue eyes. He also had a prominent military tattoo on his forearm, which would have been visible as the runner wore a T-shirt, and a withered leg from an army injury. The sisters stated that their brother lived in Notting Hill, had no connection to Putney, and they had evidence indicating he was at his Bond Street office at the time of the incident. They described the allegation as potentially malicious or mistaken.
Badenoch lawyers up over Wandsworth council tax hike
Conservative leader challenges government funding cuts blamed for proposed 94% rise.
The Metropolitan Police acknowledged the strain that being subject to a police investigation can cause. The force confirmed that a mandatory referral had been made to the police watchdog. The investigation into the 2017 incident remains ongoing, the Metropolitan Police stated, and they had no further comment regarding the sisters' remarks.
What happens next
The Metropolitan Police have stated that the investigation into the 2017 Putney Bridge incident is continuing. A mandatory referral has been made to the police watchdog concerning the handling of the investigation into Nicholas Brandram.
Questions this report answers
+What was Nicholas Brandram suspected of?
Nicholas Brandram was suspected of being the jogger who pushed a woman into the path of a bus on Putney Bridge in west London in May 2017. He was arrested in June this year on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm.
+What do his sisters claim about the police investigation?
His sisters, Alexia Hicks and Sophie Volker, claim the Metropolitan Police acted negligently and recklessly in their handling of the investigation. They stated that their brother died by suicide due to the immense pressure caused by the inquiry.
+Did Nicholas Brandram match the attacker's description?
His sisters provided evidence suggesting he did not match the description of the attacker. They stated the victim reported brown eyes, whereas Brandram had blue eyes, and he had a withered leg and a visible military tattoo, which were not mentioned by the victim.
+What is the current status of the Putney Bridge incident investigation?
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the investigation into the 2017 incident remains ongoing. A mandatory referral has been made to the police watchdog concerning the handling of the investigation into Nicholas Brandram.
WE FILE
No invented reporter. No hidden source trail.
The London Travel Desk assembled this report from the outlets listed below. Language-model drafting is reviewed under human editorial supervision, with scoring notes and corrections kept visible.
More Coverage in World
A2 Drivers Face Four Nights of Overnight Closures
Badenoch lawyers up over Wandsworth council tax hike
Man detained after Elizabeth Line worker's fatal attack
