Police Give Up Hunt For Jogger Who Pushed Woman In Front Of Bus In Putney

28 June 2018, 08:46 | Updated: 28 June 2018, 08:54

Police have called off the hunt for the jogger who shoved a woman into the path of a London bus.

Millions of people watched the dramatic CCTV footage which showed the "Putney Pusher" knock the victim into oncoming traffic on a bridge in May 2017.

Bus driver Oliver Salbris managed to swerve his double decker to avoid the woman and said he was "certain" the push was deliberate.

The Metropolitan Police said it had now closed its investigation after admitting it had "exhausted" all lines of inquiry.

The force said: "Officers looked at over 50 people of interest during the course of the investigation; all of them were researched, reviewed and eventually eliminated.

"The matter was investigated fully with all reasonable lines of enquiry completed.

"As a suspect has not been identified and as all lines of enquiry have now been exhausted, the investigation has been closed.

"Should any new information come to light, this will be explored."

The 33-year-old victim was left with minor injuries following the incident, which happened at 7.40am on 5th May 2017.

Around 15 minutes after the incident, the jogger ran back over the bridge, but ignored the woman when she tried to speak to him and carried on jogging towards the north side of the river.

In December, Mr Salbris urged the mystery attacker to give himself up to police.

"He should come forward and talk to the police," the bus driver said.

"He has done something bad and the consequences could have been terrible for the victim and me.

"It would be good if the police could catch him, but if only he could reproach himself, search his conscience, at least be responsible for his actions."

The victim fell backwards with her head in the road, in the path of Mr Salbris's number 430 bus, and only inches away from his front wheel.

"I don't know why the jogger pushed her, perhaps he was having a bad day and decided to push the first lady he saw. It could have been personal, too," said Mr Salbris.

"I really don't know how someone could do something like that to somebody else."

The suspect was described as a white man with brown eyes and short brown hair, who was in his early to mid-30s.

He was wearing a light grey T-shirt and dark blue shorts with grey trainers.

Three men were arrested in connection with the incident but were later released without charge.