Cleared Putney Pusher suspect ‘is in hiding protected by ex-SAS bodyguard’ after online death threats despite proof he was 5,000 miles away
Millionaire banker Eric Bellquist, 41, was yesterday eliminated from the police investigation
A MILLIONAIRE banker who was arrested over the "Putney Bridge Pusher" video has been forced to hire bodyguards after receiving online death threats, it's reported.
American Eric Bellquist was yesterday cleared of any involvement after police released shocking footage of a jogger pushing a woman into the path of a bus in West London.
The 41-year-old has now gone into hiding and is under the protection of ex-SAS veterans despite proving that he was in America at the time of the incident on May 5, according to the .
Cops yesterday confirmed Mr Bellquist had been eliminated from their enquiries after discovering he was 5,000 miles away on holiday in California.
The Metropolitan Police have since confirmed officers investigating the case did not check whether the banker was in the country before he was arrested, the paper reports.
Police said officers had "reasonable grounds" to arrest Mr Bellquist, from Chelsea, West London, in connection with the offence.
But Mr Bellquist’s friends insisted the force should apologise.
One told The Mail: "Eric was as horrified as everybody else about this attack and had absolutely nothing to do with it.
"He has been through hell. He was woken up by the police, dragged out of his house and thrown into a cell for hours.
"He is very worried about his reputation and deserves an immediate apology."
He was released under investigation before officers said he was eliminated from their enquiries.
His lawyer issued a denial of the allegations against him, claiming he was out of the country at the time.
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He said: "This statement is issued in relation to our client Mr Eric Bellquist, who was arrested yesterday in relation to an assault that took place between a male jogger and a female pedestrian on the 5th May 2017 on Putney Bridge, London.
"Our client has been wrongly implicated in this matter; he categorically denies being the individual concerned and has irrefutable proof that he was in the United States at the time of the incident.
"Consequently we expect a swift resolution to this wholly untrue allegation."
Bellquist, who is a partner Mayfair based private equity firm Hutton Collins, was quizzed by detectives on suspicion of GBH on Thursday.
Mr Bellquist studied at the University of Colorado Boulder and worked for Lehman Brothers before joining Hutton Collins Partners, which owns restaurant chains including Wagamana and Byron.
The Met Police say enquiries continue to identity the jogger who pushed the female pedestrian into the road.
A police spokesman said: "At about 7.40am on Friday, 5 May the 33-year-old victim was walking across Putney Bridge on the east side heading towards Putney Bridge Tube Station when a male jogger pushed her, knocking her over into the road and into the path of an oncoming bus, which narrowly missed hitting her."
The bus stopped and passengers tended to the woman following the incident at about 7.40am on May 5.
Cops said the jogger ran the other way across the bridge around 15 minutes later and the victim attempted to speak to him, but "he did not acknowledge her".
Co-workers said the driver's last-minute swerve "without a shadow of a doubt" saved the 33-year-old's life as she was pushed to the ground just inches from the bus.
The jogger is described as a white man, aged early to mid 30s, with brown eyes and short brown hair.
He was wearing a light grey t-shirt and dark blue shorts.
Officers are continuing to appeal for any witnesses to the incident or anyone who recognises the jogger in the CCTV to get in touch.
Anyone with information or any witnesses are asked to call Putney Safer Neighbourhood Team on 020 8785 8874 or 101 or tweet @MetCC.
Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
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