Police Arrest 44-Year-Old Man Over 2017 Putney Bridge Bus Push

Q: With three men wrongly arrested before, can police prove this wealthy banker is the real Putney jogger?

Not yet. Police have made a new arrest, but they have not publicly shown enough evidence to prove this 44-year-old banker is the Putney Bridge jogger, and no charge has been announced. What has changed is that detectives say “new information” led them to arrest him on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. That matters because the original investigation was closed in 2018 after three earlier suspects were arrested and released without charge, including one man who established he was in the United States at the time. Those mistakes mean police will need stronger evidence this time than a resemblance to the CCTV image. To prove he is the man in the footage, investigators would likely need a combination of evidence: a verified link placing him on Putney Bridge at the exact time, corroboration from digital or travel records, witness evidence, and a persuasive explanation for why he was not identified earlier. The CCTV clip is important, but on its own it may not be enough, especially given the age of the case and the earlier false leads. The fact that he is described as wealthy, a banker, or a former Army officer is not evidence of guilt. What matters is whether police can tie him directly to the shove captured on camera and satisfy prosecutors that there is a realistic prospect of conviction. For now, the position is limited: he has been arrested, remains in custody, and inquiries are continuing. Until charges are brought and evidence is tested, the case is still unproven.

Q: Why would a decorated army officer with royal ties allegedly shove a stranger into London traffic?

There is no verified public explanation for why the man allegedly did it. What is known is that police have arrested a 44-year-old man on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm over the 2017 Putney Bridge incident, in which a woman was seen on CCTV being pushed into the path of a bus. Reporting identifies the suspect as a former decorated British Army officer, now a banker, with links to European royal families. But neither the Metropolitan Police nor the available reporting has set out any motive. The evidence in public points to the act itself, not the reason behind it. CCTV showed the jogger apparently shoving the woman into traffic and then later passing her again without engaging. The victim survived without serious injury because the bus driver swerved in time. Police say the suspect remains in custody and that inquiries are continuing. His military record, wealth and royal connections may explain why the arrest has drawn attention, but they do not explain the alleged behavior. High social status or a distinguished background is not evidence of motive. At this stage, any claim about anger, mental state, recklessness, or intent would be speculation. The most accurate answer is that the motive remains unknown unless investigators disclose one or evidence emerges in court.

Q: After nine years, what new evidence led police to a millionaire banker in the 'Putney Pusher' case?

Police have not publicly disclosed the specific new evidence. What is known is that the Metropolitan Police said “new information” came to light, prompting officers to reopen the long-dormant inquiry and arrest a 44-year-old man on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. The man arrested has been widely described as a millionaire banker and former Army officer, but the breakthrough itself has not been explained in detail by investigators. Public reporting indicates only that fresh information emerged after the case had been closed in 2018, when three earlier suspects were arrested and released without charge. So, the key answer is that the arrest was triggered by newly received information, but the exact nature of that evidence has not been made public. Police have said the suspect remains in custody and that inquiries are continuing.

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 15

A 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm over the May 2017 incident on Putney Bridge and remains in police custody.
CCTV from the time showed a jogger appearing to shove a 33-year-old woman into the road and into the path of a bus in south-west London.
The woman escaped serious injury despite the near miss with the bus.
The arrest reopens a case the Metropolitan Police closed in 2018 after three men were arrested and released without charge.