The Metropolitan Police should investigate its own handling of the arrest of banker Nicholas Brandram, who was suspected of being the so-called “Putney Pusher” and was later found dead at home, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has ruled.
Mr Brandram, 44, was discovered unresponsive at his property in Chiswick, west London, on September 15.
The Met referred its contact with Mr Brandram before his death to the police watchdog.
The IOPC has now determined that the force’s Directorate of Professional Standards should conduct the investigation. An inquest into Mr Brandram’s death has been paused while that work takes place.
His sisters, Alexia Hicks and Sophie Voelcker, have previously accused police of failing both their brother and the wider public. They welcomed the decision and called for the inquiry to be given urgent attention.
In a statement, they said: “The family welcomes the IOPC’s conclusion that the Metropolitan Police’s handling of our brother’s case must be investigated. We have been clear about the litany of failings that need to be examined, and we expect those questions to be answered.
“The IOPC has asked the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards to carry out the investigation on its behalf.
“We urge those responsible to treat this as a priority and ensure that the investigation is thorough, independent and unflinching in establishing what went wrong, so that no other family has to endure what ours is going through.”
The family said last week that the investigation must be “thorough, independent and unflinching” in determining what went wrong.
Mr Brandram was arrested in June in connection with an incident on May 5, 2017, when a jogger pushed a woman headfirst into the path of a bus on Putney Bridge.
He had been released under investigation when he died.
Nicholas Brandram, who was arrested on suspicion of being the Putney Pusher, was found unresponsive at his home earlier this month
An IOPC spokesman said: “We received a mandatory referral from the Metropolitan Police on September 16 relating to prior contact officers had with Nicholas Brandram, who was sadly pronounced dead on September 15.
“After carefully considering the referral, we have decided that an investigation is required and that the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards should carry it out.
“We have recommended that the review examine issues including whether the arrest was necessary and proportionate, the nature of any dealings with the media, and whether Mr Brandram’s welfare was properly considered under relevant policy.
“If the investigation ends without identifying possible misconduct by any officers involved, the force’s final report must be sent to the IOPC for review, ensuring independent oversight.”
Mr Brandram’s family has maintained that he was innocent and criticised the Met for failing to “clear his name”.
An inquest hearing on Tuesday was told that Mr Brandram was found in an upstairs room by his brother-in-law after he failed to attend a family dinner.
Coroner Melanie Lee said: “On the evening of Tuesday September 15, 2026, Nicholas did not attend a family meal as planned.
“His brother-in-law went to Nicholas’s home and entered using a spare key supplied by a neighbour.
‘Upon searching the house, he found Nicholas in an upstairs room. Paramedics attended and, despite resuscitation, he was pronounced deceased at 8.58pm.’
The coroner added that the death had not been considered suspicious and there was ‘no evidence of third-party involvement’.
Ms Lee said provisional results from a post-mortem examination indicated his death was ‘due to ligature compression of the neck’.
Nine years ago, police released dramatic CCTV footage of the moment this jogger appeared to push a woman into the path of an incoming bus on Putney Bridge
The runner was seen appearing to push the victim into the path of the incoming vehicle. The driver swerved and missed the woman’s head by inches
Scotland Yard said on September 17 that its investigation into the Putney Bridge incident remains ‘ongoing’ following the death of Mr Brandram.
Mr Brandram’s sisters, who were present at the inquest, previously accused police of failing him and wider society.
The coroner told his family: ‘I offer my sincere condolences for your loss. I appreciate today will not be an easy day for you.’
His family previously said they believed the 44-year-old took his own life following ‘months of immense pressure’ caused by the Met Police’s investigation.
In a recent interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Brandram’s sisters Alexia Hicks and Sophie Voelcker said he did not match the description of the attacker.
Ms Hicks said there had been ‘urgency’ by the Met to arrest Mr Brandram and to have that reported in the press.
‘I think he couldn’t understand why there wasn’t urgency to help clear his name,’ she added.
