The millionaire banker arrested in connection with the 2017 Putney pusher incident became a target for police after they spoke to his ex-partner, according to reports. The 44-year-old suspect, who has ties to European royal families and is a former British Army officer working at a private bank, was taken into custody on June 15, 2026, six days before the news broke.
Arrest Details
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest on Monday, June 15, on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. While in custody, he was also arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A and Class B drugs. He has since been bailed pending further investigation into all offences.
According to the Times, information from a former partner was instrumental in securing the arrest. The suspect's identity has remained a mystery since the incident in May 2017, which sparked a years-long manhunt.
The Incident
On May 5, 2017, at 7:40 am, a jogger wearing grey pushed a 33-year-old woman onto the road on Putney Bridge. A double-decker bus swerved at the last moment, saving her life. The jogger returned at 7:55 am, ignoring the victim as she confronted him, and disappeared.
Bus driver Oliver Salbris told the Sunday Times in 2017: 'If I hadn't swerved, I would have smashed her head. It was reflex. The consequences would have been terrible for her – and for me.'
Investigation Timeline
In August 2017, police released CCTV footage and made arrests, including a banker from Chelsea who was on holiday in California. By June 2018, after investigating 50 people of interest, the Metropolitan Police closed the investigation without charges. The case resurfaced in April 2024 with a play titled Once Upon a Bridge at the OSO Arts Centre in Barnes, south west London. Finally, on June 15, 2026, a suspect was arrested.
Ongoing Enquiries
The Met Police spokesperson stated: 'On Monday, 15 June, a 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. The arrest relates to an incident on 5 May 2017, where a woman was pushed into the path of a bus on Putney Bridge. Once in police custody, he was also arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A and Class B drugs. He has since been bailed pending further investigation in relation to all offences.' The force's enquiries are continuing.
