The sisters of Putney Pusher suspect Nicholas Brandram have accused the Metropolitan Police of being 'negligent' and 'reckless' in their handling of his case .
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sisters → accuse → 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.
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who → push → May
His family have insisted he was innocent and 'took his own life after months of immense pressure' caused by the investigation.
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he → insist → investigation
Today, his sisters Alexia Hicks and Sophie Voelcker said their family had put 'faith in the justice system' but felt let down.
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family → say → system
They said he was awaiting a DNA test before his death, which they claimed would have cleared him.
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they → say → 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.
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they → offer → process
'We put our faith in the justice system and our faith in the Met Police.
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We → put → Police
We thought the police would just do their own DNA test.
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police → think → test
Presumably after three months it's not just a difficult test to do.'
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it → do → months
Nicholas Brandram was arrested by police on suspicion of being the Putney Pusher.
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Brandram → arrest → suspicion
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.
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officers → insist → care
In a separate interview, Mrs Hicks, 40, described Mr Brandram's deteriorating mental health in the week before his death.
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Hicks → describe → death
'He said a couple of days ago that this investigation was murdering him.
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investigation → say → him
Day by day, he was slowly being murdered,' she told The Guardian through tears.
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she → murder → tears
The former Army officer had been released but was still under investigation when he was found dead at home on Tuesday.
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he → release → 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.
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police → search → drugs
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.
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family → suspend → 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.
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he → say → footage
In fact, the evidence proved the opposite.
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evidence → prove → opposite
'Despite that, the police chose to arrest Nick rather than invite him to attend for interview.
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police → choose → 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.
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Nick → search → 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.
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runner → approach → 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.
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consequences → swerve → Nick
He was left for months carrying the stigma of an appalling allegation which the police themselves clearly recognised was unsupported by the evidence.
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police → leave → evidence
He lived with the shame, anxiety, humiliation and extraordinary pressure created by a wholly unnecessary investigation.'
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He → live → 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.
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investigation → say → end
Chief Superintendent Dan Knowles – in charge of policing for south-west London – said yesterday that the investigation 'remains ongoing'.
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investigation → say → London
He added: 'Our thoughts are with Mr Brandram's family and friends at this deeply distressing time.
'
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thoughts → add → time
We recognise the significant impact his death will have on those who knew and loved him.
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who → recognise → him
We also understand the strain that being subject to a police investigation can place on individuals and their families.
'
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being → understand → individuals
The investigation remains ongoing.
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investigation → remain → ?
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.
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officers → follow → enquiry
This remains the position, and further investigative work is ongoing.
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work → remain → ?
'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.'
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officers → involve → evidence
The Met has referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), as is required when someone dies following contact with police.
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someone → refer → 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
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who → suspend → 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.'
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who → say → September
On Wednesday, a Met spokesman said officers and ambulance staff were called to Mr Brandram's property at 7.15pm on Tuesday.
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officers → say → Tuesday
'Sadly, a 44-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene,' they added.
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they → pronounce → scene
'His next-of-kin have been informed.
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next → inform → kin
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
