Nicholas Brandram, the man suspected of pushing a woman into the path of an oncoming bus on Putney Bridge in 2017, has been found dead at his home in west London.

Emergency services were called to the 44-year-old's address in Chiswick on Tuesday evening. Officers attended alongside paramedics after a man was found unresponsive, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that his next-of-kin have been informed and stated that while the death is being treated as unexpected, it is not believed to be suspicious.

Brandram was under active investigation in connection with the long-running "Putney pusher" case. He was arrested in June this year on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. While in custody during that arrest, he was also arrested on suspicion of drug possession. Just last week, the Met confirmed he had been released under investigation.

The incident itself dates back to 2017, when viral CCTV footage captured a female pedestrian being knocked into the road on Putney Bridge directly in front of an approaching number 430 bus, in what appeared to be an unprovoked attack by a passing jogger.

The footage showed just how narrowly the victim avoided being run over. Shortly after the incident took place, investigating officer Sgt Mat Knowles said: "It was only due to the superb quick reactions of the bus driver that she was not hit by the vehicle."

The driver, Oliver Salbris, later described the near-miss, explaining: "If I hadn't swerved, I would have smashed her head."

The subsequent manhunt proved difficult for investigators. Detectives initially identified more than 50 people of interest in the aftermath of the incident. Three men were arrested during the early stages, but all three were released without charge, leading the Met to close the investigation in 2018 before Brandram was arrested earlier this summer.

Beyond the investigation, Brandram had a background spanning military service and the financial sector. He previously served as a Captain in the Scots Guards in Afghanistan, before working more recently in private banking for HSBC.

He also had direct ties to European royal families. Brandram was a direct descendant of Queen Victoria, his great-grandfather was King Constantine I of Greece, and his grandmother was Princess Katherine of Greece. The late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, was his father's godfather.

What we don't know yet is the official cause of death, or the precise next steps the Metropolitan Police will take regarding the unresolved 2017 case file. Brandram had not been charged with the Putney Bridge offence and remained under investigation at the time of his death.

I'll be following this one — check back for updates.