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Sisters of dead 'Putney pusher' suspect accuse Met Police of negligence

Nicholas Brandram's family say he was wrongly identified, hounded by leaks and took his own life after months of police pressure.

newest coverage 5d agosummary written 5d ago5 pieces NewswiresGoogle NewsMastodon

What to know

  • Nicholas Brandram, arrested in June as the 'Putney pusher' suspect, was found dead on Tuesday; his family says he took his own life after months of police pressure.
  • His sisters accuse the Met of negligence and recklessness, citing a leak that identified him publicly, an unreturned DNA sample, and physical and location evidence they say ruled him out.
  • The Met has acknowledged the strain of being under investigation and confirmed a mandatory referral to the police watchdog, but has not addressed the family's specific allegations.
  • The real 2017 Putney Bridge attacker remains unidentified, which the family says makes the Met's handling of the case even more consequential.

“He couldn't understand why there wasn't an urgency to help clear his name.”

Nicholas Brandram's sisters, Sisters of the suspect · BBC ↗ · Sep 17

Nicholas Brandram Deceased suspect; former banker and army officerAlexia Hicks Sister of Nicholas BrandramSophie Voelcker Sister of Nicholas Brandram (also reported as Sophie Volker)Metropolitan Police Investigating force

Sisters of dead 'Putney pusher' suspect accuse Met Police of negligence
independent.co.uk

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 2 pieces in two hours at Sep 17, 3 PM; 5 pieces over 7 days (4 articles · 1 post) Sep 17, 3 PM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 2Sep 17, 5 PM — quietSep 17, 7 PM — quietSep 17, 9 PM — quietSep 17, 11 PM — quietSep 18, 1 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 18, 3 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Google News 1, Mastodon 1Sep 18, 5 AM — quietSep 18, 7 AM — quietSep 18, 9 AM — quietSep 18, 11 AM — quietSep 18, 1 PM — quietSep 18, 3 PM — quietSep 18, 5 PM — quietSep 18, 7 PM — quietSep 18, 9 PM — quietSep 18, 11 PM — quietSep 19, 1 AM — quietSep 19, 3 AM — quietSep 19, 5 AM — quietSep 19, 7 AM — quietSep 19, 9 AM — quietSep 19, 11 AM — quietSep 19, 1 PM — quietSep 19, 3 PM — quietSep 19, 5 PM — quietSep 19, 7 PM — quietSep 19, 9 PM — quietSep 19, 11 PM — quietSep 20, 1 AM — quietSep 20, 3 AM — quietSep 20, 5 AM — quietSep 20, 7 AM — quietSep 20, 9 AM — quietSep 20, 11 AM — quietSep 20, 1 PM — quietSep 20, 3 PM — quietSep 20, 5 PM — quietSep 20, 7 PM — quietSep 20, 9 PM — quietSep 20, 11 PM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 3 AM — quietSep 21, 5 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 11 AM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quiet 1–2
Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 4:44 AM ET
  1. 1

    Metropolitan Police responds, confirms watchdog referral

    The Met said it recognised the strain a police investigation can cause and confirmed a mandatory referral had been made to the police watchdog (IOPC), but offered no further comment on the sisters' allegations.

    “The Met, they were negligent, they were reckless and they have, you know, failed our brother.”
    — Nicholas Brandram's sisters, Sisters of the suspect · source
    1. 2 outlets Met was negligent and reckless, sisters of 'Putney pusher' suspect tell BBC

      first by BBC, 6d ago · also The Independent

      1 more headline

    • Met was negligent and reckless, say sisters of ‘Putney pusher’ suspect https://www. independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim e/met-reckless-putney-pusher-nicholas-brandram-b3052293.html?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub Posted into UK Crime News @ uk-crime-news-Independent

      Independent@flipboard.comMastodon5d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  2. 2

    Sisters tell BBC the Met was 'negligent and reckless'

    Alexia Hicks and Sophie Voelcker gave BBC Radio 4's Today programme a detailed account of why they believe their brother was innocent, citing physical mismatches, lack of connection to Putney, a DNA sample never returned, and an alibi, and accused police of failing him.

  3. background

    Brandram found dead at his west London home — Brandram was found unresponsive at a property in Chiswick, believed to be his home, on Tuesday evening; his family say he took his own life after months of pressure from the investigation.

  4. background

    Leak identifies Brandram on social media, triggering online vilification — His sisters say details of the investigation were leaked to the media within days, allowing him to be identified online and treated as guilty despite no charges, and that the leak scuppered a planned police line-up.

  5. background

    Met arrests Nicholas Brandram as Putney pusher suspect — More than nine years after the attack, police arrested former banker and army officer Nicholas Brandram at his home following a witness statement saying he resembled the attacker; he was questioned and released on bail.

  6. background

    Jogger pushes woman into bus's path on Putney Bridge — A jogger later dubbed the 'Putney pusher' shoved a woman headfirst into the path of an oncoming bus on Putney Bridge, west London; the attacker was never identified or caught.