The commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, has declined to apologise for any pressure placed on Nicholas Brandram, a 44-year-old army veteran, while he was being investigated in connection with the 2017 "Putney Pusher" case. The incident involved a jogger who shoved a woman in front of a bus on Putney Bridge in west London.

Brandram was arrested at his home in Chiswick in June this year. He died last month, and his family, who maintain his innocence, accused police of subjecting him to "immense pressure" during the investigation. Responding to these allegations in an interview, Sir Mark acknowledged that criminal suspects naturally experience pressure but rejected calls to apologise for the treatment of Brandram.

"The case has been live all that time, and we had some new information, and that led us to treating that man as a suspect," Rowley said. He further stated that while the family believes Brandram was "obviously innocent" and the police were unreasonable, he did not necessarily share that view. He emphasised that the police must review the complaints while continuing their investigation.

Sir Mark highlighted that, despite Brandram’s death, the investigation remains active. "We have a suspect, he died, the family have complained. We need to continue... It could be the person we’re investigating. So let us work it through," he said.

Separately, the Independent Office for Police Conduct has directed the Metropolitan Police’s professional standards unit to examine the handling of the case, reflecting the ongoing scrutiny over the force’s actions. The investigation and associated internal review aim to address concerns raised by Brandram’s family and to evaluate the police’s procedures during the inquiry.