The Metropolitan Police has been instructed to investigate its handling of the arrest and subsequent events involving Nicholas Brandram, a banker suspected of involvement in a high-profile assault case who was found dead at his home in West London. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced on Tuesday that it has mandated the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards to carry out a formal inquiry into the force’s contact with Brandram prior to his death.

Brandram, 44, was discovered unresponsive at his residence in Chiswick on September 15. He had remained under investigation at the time of his death. Earlier this year, in June, he was detained in connection with an incident dating back to May 2017. During that incident, a woman was reportedly pushed into the path of a bus by a jogger on Putney Bridge in south-west London, narrowly avoiding serious injury. Brandram was suspected of being the individual responsible for the attack, which has since been referred to in media reports as the “Putney pusher” case.

Scotland Yard itself referred the matter to the IOPC, the independent police watchdog, demonstrating procedural recognition of the seriousness of the situation. The watchdog acknowledged there were sufficient concerns regarding the police’s handling of Brandram that warranted an investigation into possible failings.

Brandram’s family has maintained his innocence throughout and called for a thorough scrutiny of police conduct. In a statement, they emphasized “the litany of failings that need to be examined” and expressed their expectation that all outstanding questions surrounding the case and his death be answered.

The IOPC’s decision to appoint the Met’s own professional standards unit to lead the investigation aims to clarify the circumstances around Brandram’s arrest, the ongoing investigation, and the police’s interactions with him during this period. The watchdog’s involvement reflects the sensitivity of the case, given Brandram’s death while under suspicion but before any formal charges were brought. The outcomes of the inquiry are awaited as authorities seek to provide transparency and accountability regarding the police handling of this matter.