A grainy CCTV clip from 2017 shows a jogger running along Putney Bridge in south-west London, appearing to shove a 33-year-old woman into the path of an oncoming double-decker bus. The driver swerves at the last second, avoiding a fatal collision. The woman escapes serious injury, but the identity of the attacker remains a mystery for nine years—until a millionaire banker and former British Army officer is finally arrested. This is the story of the so-called 'Putney Pusher', a case that has haunted detectives and the victim, and captured public attention as a stark example of how even the most shocking crimes can go unsolved for years.
The incident occurred on 5 May 2017. The jogger, wearing grey clothing, pushes the woman into the road. The bus driver, Oliver Salbris, swerves into the adjacent lane to avoid hitting her. He later told the Sunday Times: '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.' Around 15 minutes later, the jogger returns across the bridge, and the woman tries to speak to him, but he ignores her and disappears. The Metropolitan Police launched a major investigation, identifying more than 50 people of interest. Two arrests were made—including a banker from Chelsea who was on holiday in California at the time—but both were released without charge. In 2018, the case was closed, with police saying all lines of inquiry had been exhausted.
“The 'Putney Pusher' case: a 2017 jogger attack, the bus driver who saved a woman, and a 2026 arrest.”
But in June 2026, a breakthrough: police arrested a 44-year-old man on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. According to Metro, the suspect is a millionaire director at a private bank, a former British Army officer, and reportedly has ties to several European royal families. He remains in custody. The arrest came after a play about the case, Once Upon a Bridge, was performed at the OSO Arts Centre in Barnes, south-west London, reviving public interest.
For UK readers, this case matters because it shows how even in an age of ubiquitous CCTV and public appeals, some crimes remain unsolved for years—and arrests can come seemingly out of the blue. It also highlights the enduring trauma for victims and the critical role of good Samaritans like bus drivers. The 'Putney Pusher' has become shorthand for random, unprovoked attacks in public spaces, and the long wait for justice.
Q: Was the woman seriously injured? No, she escaped serious injury thanks to the quick reactions of the bus driver, Oliver Salbris, who swerved to avoid her. The bus swerved into the adjacent lane, narrowly missing her.
Q: Why did the police close the case in 2018? The Metropolitan Police said all lines of inquiry had been exhausted. They had investigated more than 50 people of interest and made two arrests, but both suspects were released without charge.
Q: What is the suspect accused of? The 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm. He was taken into police custody after the arrest, which relates to the 2017 incident on Putney Bridge.
What happens next? The suspect remains in custody pending further inquiries. The Crown Prosecution Service will decide whether to charge him. If charged, he will appear in court. The case serves as a reminder that no matter how cold a case becomes, investigations can reopen if new evidence or suspects emerge.