The Metropolitan Police is set to investigate its handling of the arrest of Nicholas Brandram, the man suspected of pushing a woman in front of a bus on Putney Bridge in 2017.
The investigation follows an assessment by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), after the force was referred to the watchdog following Brandram’s death.
IOPC directs case back to the Met
Chief Superintendent Dan Knowles said a mandatory referral to the IOPC was made on 16 September because Brandram had died following previous contact with police.
The IOPC decided that an investigation was required and directed that it should be conducted by the Met’s directorate of professional standards.
The watchdog recommended that the investigation consider the necessity and proportionality of the arrest, the force’s engagement with the media, and considerations relating to Brandram’s welfare and the relevant policy.
The Met said that, following the assessment, the case had been returned to the force for investigation by its directorate of professional standards.
The IOPC said that if the investigation ends without identifying potential misconduct by any officer, the Met’s final report must be submitted to the watchdog for review to ensure independent oversight.
2017 Putney Bridge incident
Brandram, aged 44, was held on suspicion of grievous bodily harm in June. He was discovered dead at his property in West London on 16 September.
The arrest related to a 5 May 2017 incident in which a jogger pushed a 33-year-old woman into traffic on Putney Bridge as a double-decker bus approached. The bus driver swerved in time, and the woman suffered minor injuries.
Police interviewed more than 50 men and arrested three suspects in connection with the case. It was closed in 2018 without anyone being charged.
Related: Family says banker died after police investigation over alleged Putney Bridge push
Source: City AM
