Nicholas Brandram, the 44-year-old former banker arrested in connection with the so-called 'Putney pusher' incident, was found dead at his West London home after failing to attend a family gathering, an inquest has heard. The discovery was made on 15 September at his property on Cranbrook Road, Chiswick, and a post-mortem examination has indicated his death was due to ligature compression of the neck.
Arrest and background
Brandram was detained in June in connection with an incident on Putney Bridge, where a jogger shoved a woman headfirst into the path of an oncoming bus on 5 May 2017. He was released under investigation following his arrest. The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) concerning its contact with Brandram.
At West London Coroner's Court on Tuesday afternoon, Melanie Lee, area coroner for London West, opened and adjourned an inquest into his death. The coroner stated: "On the evening of Tuesday September 15 2026, Nicholas did not attend a family meal as planned."
Discovery and inquest details
His brother-in-law attended Brandram's home address and gained access using a spare key provided 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 said.
Ms Lee noted that the death had not been treated as suspicious and that there was "no evidence of third-party involvement". Initial post-mortem results indicated his death was "due to ligature compression of the neck".
IOPC referral and investigation status
The Metropolitan Police confirmed on 17 September that its investigation into the Putney Bridge incident remains "ongoing" following Brandram's death. On Tuesday, Ms Lee said: "I have been informed this afternoon that a referral has been made to the IOPC. On that basis I am suspending the inquest."
The coroner emphasised that an "inquest is not a trial" and "nobody and no organisation is on trial". Brandram's sisters, who were present at the inquest, had previously claimed police failed him and society more broadly.
Family statements
Addressing his relatives, the coroner said: "I offer my sincere condolences for your loss. I appreciate today will not be an easy day for you." His family had previously expressed their belief that the 44-year-old took his own life after enduring "months of immense pressure" stemming from the Met Police's investigation.
In an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Brandram's sisters Alexia Hicks and Sophie Voelcker maintained he bore no resemblance to the attacker's description. Ms Hicks noted there had been "urgency" from the Met to arrest Brandram and secure press coverage of the arrest. "I think he couldn't understand why there wasn't urgency to help clear his name," she added.
