The “Putney Pusher” could be given a jail sentence of several years if he is found to have intended to harm the woman he allegedly shoved into the path of a double decker bus in London, lawyers say.
However, the jogger who reportedly pushed the woman, aged 33, into the road on Putney Bridge might not be locked up if the court decided that he was not seeking to injure her.
On Monday, a 44-year-old millionaire banker was arrested at his £1.4 million west London home on suspicion of grievous bodily harm relating to the incident more than nine years ago.
The man was later re-arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A and Class B drugs and has been bailed until September.
Lawyers say that the “Putney Pusher”, who may turn out to be a different person than the arrested banker, could if caught end up being charged with a different offence than alleged grievous bodily harm once more details emerge of his motives and actions.
If convicted, there is a range of potential punishments.
“The sentencing in a case like this rests on the intent a person is considered to have had,” explained Joseph Kotrie-Monson, executive director of law firm Mary Monson.
“For a sentence of perhaps four to six years a court would have to be satisfied that the defendant intended really serious harm.
“If a court is not satisfied about that intent, the sentence might be a short period in prison or more likely a community order.”
The notorious incident in the early morning rush hour on May 5 2017 shocked London.
Sean Caulfield, a partner at law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, stressed: “A prison sentence would be very likely with a starting point of three years.
“However, a suspended sentence could not be ruled out.
“The fact that this is such a notorious and well-known case should not have an impact on the punishment imposed.”
Sabrik Dhamu, senior associate within the business crime & regulatory team at Taylor Rose law firm, said: "One important principle is that sentencing is not solely determined by the actual harm caused.
"Where a serious injury was risked but did not materialise, the courts can still impose substantial sentences based on the level of harm that was intended or the degree of danger created."
Mystery has remained for nearly a decade over why the jogger “shoved” the woman as she walked southwards in the pedestrian path across the bridge.
Bus driver Olivier Salbris, on the 430 route, managed to swerve to avoid hitting the victim by inches as she lay on the ground.
The jogger is said to have come back running across the bridge 15 minutes later and the woman reportedly challenged him over his behaviour.
The Met Police looked at more than 50 “persons of interest” and arrested a number of people including an American investment banker, aged 41, living in Chelsea, west London following the incident.
He was cleared of involvement after his lawyers proved he was on holiday in California at the time of the incident.
The case was closed in June 2018 after the trail of the “Putney Pusher” went cold.
Putney MP Fleur Anderson, though, has praised Scotland Yard for not giving up on the case even after nearly a decade.
Police inquiries are continuing into the incident.
