Police are continuing their investigation into the 'Putney Pusher' case. They arrested a millionaire banker, aged 44, on Monday on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm over the incident in which a jogger allegedly pushed a woman into the path of a double decker bus on Putney Bridge.
The man was re-arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A and Class B drugs and was bailed until September.
The case has gripped London since the notorious incident in the early morning rush hour more than nine years ago. Bus driver Olivier Salbris, on the 430 route, managed to swerve to avoid hitting the victim by inches as she lay on the ground. The Met Police have made a number of arrests over the years and the banker, who lives in a £1.4 million home in west London, may be cleared, as several suspects have been during the inquiry.
Given the number of possible clues as to who the 'Putney Pusher' is it may be surprising to some Londoners that he has not yet been caught. Here are five possible clues to the man's identity:
Clue One: CCTV Footage and Clothing
He was caught on CCTV camera and while he is not easily identifiable, the images are clear. He was also wearing a grey T-shirt and blue shorts with a thin white stripe down the right hand side.
Clue Two: Distinctive Gait and Fitness Level
All runners have a distinctive gait and the man does not appear fit or lean. So is he a casual runner, exercising to try to stay fit and not put on weight?
Clue Three: Timing of the Incident
The time of the incident, at around 7.40am on Friday May 5 2017 is also of interest. In those days before the Covid pandemic, far more people went into the office on a Friday. So was the man out for a pre-work run?
Clue Four: Direction of Running
The man was running northwards across the bridge when he allegedly pushed the woman, aged 33, who was heading southwards on the pedestrian path. Fifteen minutes later he came running back across the bridge. So does he live south of the bridge?
Clue Five: Lack of Remorse
The man does not appear to try to swerve to avoid the woman or even stop, after reportedly pushing her, to check she is OK. He is said to have come back running over the bridge 15 minutes later but again reportedly did not stop when the woman is believed to have challenged him over his behaviour. What does this say about the individual's character?
Despite the CCTV images and other clues, the mystery over the 'Putney Pusher's' identity has remained unsolved for nearly a decade. Scotland Yard have looked at more than 50 'persons of interest' and arrested a number of people including an American investment banker, aged 41, living in Chelsea, west London following the incident. He was cleared of involvement after his lawyers proved he was on holiday in California at the time of the alleged offence.
The case was closed in June 2018 after the trail of the 'Putney Pusher' went cold. Lawyers say if he is caught he could face a jail sentence of several years, possibly suspended, or a community order, depending on his intent in allegedly pushing the woman. Putney MP Fleur Anderson has praised Scotland Yard for not giving up on the case even after nearly a decade.
