'Millionaire Banker' Arrested in Renewed Hunt for Putney Pusher
Police make new bid to solve crime that took place nine years ago
The Putney Pusher has escaped justice for nearly a decade. Picture: Met Police
June 26, 2026
Police investigating one of London’s most notorious unsolved assaults have arrested a 44-year-old man in connection with the so-called “Putney Pusher” case, nearly a decade after a female pedestrian was shoved into the path of an oncoming bus on Putney Bridge.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers detained the man at a west London address on Monday, 15 June, on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. He remains in custody. The Daily Mail reported that the suspect is a multi-millionaire banker though police have not named him.
The arrest marks the most significant development in the investigation since the shocking incident on 5 May 2017, when a jogger running across Putney Bridge pushed a 33-year-old woman into the road directly in front of a double-decker bus. CCTV footage of the moment — showing the woman falling into the bus’s path and the driver swerving sharply to avoid her — sparked national outrage and global media attention.
The victim escaped serious injury only thanks to the quick reactions of bus driver Olivier Salbris, who later described the near-miss as something he “could not easily forget”. Speaking previously, he said: “Her head was only a few centimetres from the bus and the wheel, even after I swerved to avoid her.”
The jogger, wearing a grey T-shirt, continued running after the collision and returned along the bridge around 15 minutes later, ignoring the woman’s attempts to confront him.
Despite extensive publicity and a major police appeal, the case remained unsolved. Detectives interviewed around 50 men and arrested three suspects, including an American investment banker who was later ruled out after proving he was in the United States at the time. The investigation was formally closed in 2018.
Police say new information has now prompted them to reopen the case, leading to this week’s arrest. A Met spokesperson said: “The arrest relates to an incident on 5 May 2017, where a woman was pushed into the path of a bus on Putney Bridge in Putney. Inquiries continue.”
Although the identity of the arrested man has been widely circulated on social media and discussed on internet forums, he has not been officially named by the Metropolitan Police and responsible news organisations have not identified him.
Under English and Welsh law, people arrested on suspicion of an offence have a reasonable expectation of privacy before they are charged. This follows a ruling that was made relating to the BBC's coverage of an investigation into Sir Cliff Richard when false accusations were made against him.
Until the suspect is charged, or a court orders otherwise, most media outlets will therefore continue to refer only to "a 44-year-old man" arrested in connection with the investigation.
Detectives have stressed that their inquiries remain ongoing, and no charges have yet been brought.
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