Inside nine-year Putney Pusher mystery from chilling vid to royal link… & how prime suspect was found before shock death

A JOGGER charges towards a woman on a busy London bridge before appearing to knock her straight into the path of an oncoming bus. The driver swerves with inches to spare, narrowly avoiding crushing her beneath the wheels. It was a few seconds of CCTV that sparked one of Britain’s most enduring mysteries: who was the Putney Pusher? The Putney Pusher threw a woman in front of a bus in 2017 Credit: Handout The 33 year-old victim sustained minor injuries after the bus swerved Credit: Enterprise Nicholas Brandram was arrested earlier this year but has now been found dead Credit: HSBC The incident happened on Putney Bridge in West London Credit: Alamy Live News Police spent years chasing leads and arrested three men, but nobody was ever charged. Then, nine years later, detectives arrested wealthy banker and former Army officer Nicholas Brandram over the notorious attack. Now the 44-year-old has been found dead at a home in West London. It comes days after the police confirmed that the suspect had been released under investigation. Here, we reveal how the Putney Pusher mystery unfolded, from the innocent men caught up in the hunt to the fresh information which put detectives on the trail of Brandram. It began on an otherwise ordinary Friday morning in May 2017. At around 7.40am, the 33-year-old victim was walking across Putney Bridge in south-west London on her way to work when a jogger came running towards her. CCTV showed the pair approaching each other on the pavement before the runner appeared to veer towards her and knock her into the road. She stumbled off the curb and fell directly into the path of a number 430 double-decker bus. Driver Olivier Salbris swerved sharply, bringing the 12-ton vehicle to a stop just inches from her. A passenger got off to help the woman, who escaped with minor injuries. Salbris later said: “If I hadn’t swerved, I would have smashed her head. “It was a reflex. The consequences would have been terrible for her – and for me.” The jogger though kept running. Around 15 minutes later, police said he came back across the bridge in the opposite direction. The victim recognised him and tried to speak to him about what had happened, but he did not acknowledge her and carried on. It was the last reported sighting of the man who became known as the Putney Pusher. For three months, detectives had little to go on. On August 8, Scotland Yard released the CCTV and appealed for help identifying the jogger. He was described as white, in his early to mid-30s, with short brown hair, brown eyes and an athletic build. Nicholas Brandram was found dead on Tuesday Credit: Doug Seeburg Brandram worked as a banker Credit: Central News CCTV footage captured the incident of the Putney Pusher Credit: PA:Press Association He was wearing a light grey T-shirt, dark blue shorts and grey trainers. The footage went around the world and names began pouring in. One of them was American investment banker Eric Bellquist, then 41, who was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. His name became public, but Bellquist’s lawyers soon produced what they described as “irrefutable proof” that he had been in the US on May 5, so he was ruled out. Two other men were arrested during the investigation and also released without charge. Detectives ultimately looked at more than 50 people of interest, researching and reviewing each before eliminating them. In June 2018, the Met admitted it had run out of leads. All reasonable lines of inquiry had been exhausted and the investigation was closed. But the strange footage was not forgotten. For almost eight years, there was no public sign of movement in the police investigation. That changed this summer. A fresh tip-off led detectives to speak to the former partner of millionaire banker Nicholas Brandram. His arrest followed his separation from his second wife, with whom he had a young son. The family is believed to have lived in Fulham, not far from Putney Bridge. It is understood police were contacted by someone close to his estranged wife with information about the Putney Pusher. Information she gave police was reported to have played a part in what followed. On June 15, officers arrested Brandram at his £1.4million West London home on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. The 44-year-old was a director at a private bank and a former British Army captain who had served overseas during an eight-year military career. He had been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and was a descendant of Queen Victoria. Officers searching his property also allegedly found suspected drugs. Once in custody, Brandram was also arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A and Class B drugs. The substances were reported to be cocaine and cannabis. He was bailed while both investigations continued. Earlier this month, the Met confirmed his bail had been cancelled and he had been released under investigation. Brandram had not been charged and police had not established that he was the jogger seen in the CCTV. Days later, he was found dead. Police and paramedics were called to an address in Chiswick, West London, at 7.12pm on Tuesday after Brandram was found unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His death is being treated as unexpected but is not believed to be suspicious. The Met said: “At 19.12hrs on Tuesday, 15 September officers and the London Ambulance Service attended an address in Chiswick, Hounslow after a man was found unresponsive inside a property. “Sadly, a 44-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next-of-kin have been informed. “At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious. “A file will be prepared for the coroner in due course.” A London Ambulance Service spokesperson added: “We were called at 7.55pm on Tuesday 15 September to reports of an incident. “We sent resources to the scene including an ambulance crew, a paramedic in a fast response car, an advanced paramedic and a clinical team manager. “Very sadly, a person was pronounced dead at the scene.”