'The Met Police failed our brother': Putney Pusher suspect's sisters condemn force for 'negligent' handling of case after he took his own life - and say DNA test will clear his name

The sisters of Putney Pusher suspect Nicholas Brandram have accused the Metropolitan Police of being 'negligent' and 'reckless' in their handling of his case . 

The 44-year-old private banker was under suspicion of being the jogger who pushed a woman headfirst into the path of an incoming bus on Putney Bridge, south-west London, in May 2017.

His family have insisted he was innocent and 'took his own life after months of immense pressure' caused by the investigation.

Today, his sisters Alexia Hicks and Sophie Voelcker said their family had put 'faith in the justice system' but felt let down. 

They said he was awaiting a DNA test before his death, which they claimed would have cleared him. 

'It is heartbreaking that Nick and his lawyer two months ago offered to pay for a DNA test privately to speed up the process,' they told Radio 4 this morning. 

'Over two months later there is still no result.

'We put our faith in the justice system and our faith in the Met Police. We thought the police would just do their own DNA test. 

Presumably after three months it's not just a difficult test to do.'

Nicholas Brandram was arrested by police on suspicion of being the Putney Pusher. But his family today insisted there was no 'credible' evidence 

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 

Mr Brandram was a director at HSBC's private bank before being suspended after his arrest

The sisters claimed the officers investigating their brother 'were negligent' and had 'failed Nick and society' in their duty of care.

In a separate interview, Mrs Hicks, 40, described Mr Brandram's deteriorating mental health in the week before his death. 

'He said a couple of days ago that this investigation was murdering him. Day by day, he was slowly being murdered,' she told The Guardian through tears. 

The former Army officer had been released but was still under investigation when he was found dead at home on Tuesday.

After his arrest in June, police searched his £1.4million house in Chiswick, west London, and rearrested him for possession of Class A and Class B drugs – believed to be cocaine and cannabis.

Mr Brandram – a grandson of Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark, who was the great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria – was a director at HSBC's private bank before being suspended after his arrest.

His family yesterday protested his innocence and blamed the Met for his death.  

In a statement, they said: 'There was no forensic evidence linking Nick to it, no evidence placing him on Putney Bridge at that time, and no credible evidence that he was the man shown in the footage. In fact, the evidence proved the opposite.

'Despite that, the police chose to arrest Nick rather than invite him to attend for interview. They searched his home and the Met Police Press team then released information which inevitably led to speculation and Nick being identified in subsequent reporting.'

The jogger approaching the pedestrian during the morning rush hour 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

Mr Brandram was a decorated former British Army captain who served with the Scots Guards in Iraq, Bosnia and Afghanistan

The family added: 'For Nick, the consequences did not disappear. He was left for months carrying the stigma of an appalling allegation which the police themselves clearly recognised was unsupported by the evidence.

'He lived with the shame, anxiety, humiliation and extraordinary pressure created by a wholly unnecessary investigation.'

They said the police were repeatedly asked to end their investigation and warned about the impact it was having on Mr Brandram's mental health, saying: 'Even then, the investigation was not brought to an end. As a result, Nick is dead.'

Chief Superintendent Dan Knowles – in charge of policing for south-west London – said yesterday that the investigation 'remains ongoing'.

He added: 'Our thoughts are with Mr Brandram's family and friends at this deeply distressing time. 

'We recognise the significant impact his death will have on those who knew and loved him. We also understand the strain that being subject to a police investigation can place on individuals and their families.

'The investigation remains ongoing. Following Mr Brandram's release under investigation, it was made clear that enquiries would continue while officers progressed outstanding lines of enquiry and forensic examinations. This remains the position, and further investigative work is ongoing.

'Investigations of this nature, particularly those involving complex evidential and forensic work, can take a number of months to complete as officers gather and assess all available evidence.'

The Met has referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), as is required when someone dies following contact with police. 

Mr Brandram - a grandson of Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark, who was Queen Victoria's great-granddaughter - was a director at HSBC's private bank before being suspended after his arrest

An IOPC spokesman said: 'We have received a mandatory referral from the Met Police relating to prior contact officers had with Nicholas Brandram, who was sadly found unresponsive and declared deceased on September 15.'

On Wednesday, a Met spokesman said officers and ambulance staff were called to Mr Brandram's property at 7.15pm on Tuesday. 

'Sadly, a 44-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene,' they added. 'His next-of-kin have been informed. At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious.'

Mr Brandram, who had been married twice and has a three-year-old child, was a decorated former British Army captain who served with the Scots Guards in Iraq, Bosnia and Afghanistan.

In 2012 he was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his military service. A year later, he appeared at City of London Magistrates' Court after colliding with a female cyclist on Hyde Park Corner.

Mr Brandram crashed his 1948 Harley-Davidson into the woman then drove off without leaving his details or checking if she was hurt, the court heard. 

He pleaded guilty to a count each of driving without due care and attention and failing to stop after a road accident. He received five penalty points, a £200 fine and was told to pay £105 compensation.

The former soldier outside City of London Magistrates' Court in 2013. He crashed his Harley Davidson into a cyclist outside London's Hyde Park and drove off without stopping

The Putney Pusher incident took place on May 5, 2017, at about 7.40am. A woman was walking north on Putney Bridge when the jogger approached her from the opposite direction.

There was plenty of room for him to run around her safely but instead he shoved her on to the road – directly in the path of an oncoming bus going at 12mph.

Thanks to the rapid reactions of the driver, Oliver Salbris, the bus missed the unidentified victim's head by inches and she survived largely physically unscathed.

The jogger returned in the opposite direction about 15 minutes later, passing the victim again while she was being assisted by passers-by on the bridge, ignoring her calls to stop.