The Metropolitan Police should investigate itself over the arrest of a banker, suspected of being the ‘Putney Pusher’, who was found dead at his home earlier this month, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has said.

Nicholas Brandram, 44, was found unresponsive at his home in Chiswick, west London, on September 15.

Scotland Yard referred itself to the police watchdog over its contact with him prior to his death.

The IOPC has today decided that the Met should carry out the inquiry, with an inquest into his death suspended pending the outcome.

Mr Brandram’s sisters Alexia Hicks and Sophie Voelcker, who have previously accused police of failing him and wider society, welcomed news of an investigation and urged those responsible to make it a priority.

In a statement, they said: ‘The family welcomes the IOPC’s conclusion that the Metropolitan Police’s handling of our brother’s case must be investigated. We have been clear about the litany of failings that need to be examined, and we expect those questions to be answered.

‘The IOPC has asked the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards to carry out the investigation on its behalf.

‘We urge those responsible to treat this as a priority and ensure that the investigation is thorough, independent and unflinching in establishing what went wrong, so that no other family has to endure what ours is going through.’

Mr Brandram’s family said last week that the investigation must be ‘thorough, independent and unflinching in establishing what went wrong’.

Mr Brandram was arrested in June over an incident on May 5, 2017 in which a jogger shoved a woman headfirst into the path of an oncoming bus on Putney Bridge.

At the time of his death, Mr Brandram had been released under investigation.

Nicholas Brandram, arrested by police on suspicion of being the Putney Pusher, was found unresponsive at his home earlier this month

An IOPC spokesman said: ‘We received a mandatory referral from the Metropolitan Police on September 16 relating to prior contact officers had with Nicholas Brandram, who was sadly pronounced dead on September 15.

‘After carefully considering the referral, we have decided that an investigation is required and that the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards should carry it out.

‘We have recommended that the review considers matters including the necessity and proportionality of the arrest, the nature of any engagement with the media, and whether appropriate consideration was given to Mr Brandram’s welfare in line with relevant policy.

‘Should the investigation conclude without identifying any potential misconduct by officers involved, the force’s final report must be submitted to the IOPC for review to ensure independent oversight.’

His family have insisted he was innocent and criticised the Met Police for failing to ‘clear his name’.

An inquest on Tuesday heard that Mr Brandram was found in an upstairs room by his brother-in-law after failing to show up for a family dinner.

Coroner Melanie Lee said: ‘On the evening of Tuesday September 15, 2026, Nicholas did not attend a family meal as planned.

‘His brother-in-law attended Nicholas’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 added that the death had not been considered suspicious and there was ‘no evidence of third-party involvement’.

Ms Lee said provisional results from a post-mortem examination indicated his death was ‘due to ligature compression of the neck’.

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 

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

Scotland Yard said on September 17 that its investigation into the Putney Bridge incident remains ‘ongoing’ following the death of Mr Brandram.

Mr Brandram’s sisters, who were present at the inquest, previously accused police of failing him and wider society.

The coroner told his family: ‘I offer my sincere condolences for your loss. I appreciate today will not be an easy day for you.’

His family previously said they believed the 44-year-old took his own life following ‘months of immense pressure’ caused by the Met Police’s investigation.

In a recent interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Brandram’s sisters Alexia Hicks and Sophie Voelcker said he did not match the description of the attacker.

Ms Hicks said there had been ‘urgency’ by the Met to arrest Mr Brandram and to have that reported in the press.

‘I think he couldn’t understand why there wasn’t urgency to help clear his name,’ she added.