Pc Gordon Semple: Bank worker 'was left with injuries from cutting up victim's body after Grindr murder'

Accused: Stefano Brizzi
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Jamie Bullen25 October 2016
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A former City worker accused of murdering and dismembering a police officer told detectives his hands were injured from cutting up the corpse, a court heard today.

The jury was shown CCTV footage of Stefano Brizzi talking to officers at Lewisham police station following his arrest on April 7.

The 50-year-old Italian bank worker is alleged to have strangled Pc Gordon Semple, 59 during a chemsex party six days earlier after they met through gay dating app Grindr.

He attempted to chop up Mr Semple’s body with a saw before apparently cooking and eating some of the flesh, the Old Bailey trial heard.

Accused: Stefano Brizzi, 50, is alleged to have strangled Pc Gordon Semple

He was also trying to dissolve dismembered body parts in an acid bath when police called round to investigate complaints of a putrid smell, jurors were told.

As the CCTV video was being played, Brizzi broke down in the dock and sobbed with his head in his hands.

Asked by Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC if he needed a break, he said: "I'm sorry. That's all. I'm sorry. Carry on, it's OK.

"I don't want to hold you up. It's hard, you understand - enormous pressure."

'High risk': Gordon Semple
Metropolitan Police

In the video, Brizzi, who was wearing dark sunglasses, was asked by the custody sergeant if he had taken any drugs in the last 24 hours.

He replied: "Yes, I took crystal meth yesterday when I was thinking I should get rid of the corpse.

"Four days have passed by and nobody had seen or said anything. I thought I was getting away with it.”

"I had nearly finished but I took a shot, I was going to finish the job today.

Scene: Police on the Peabody estate in April
Jeremy Selwyn

"As you can see this man was a very big man and all I have left is two buckets."

Earlier, Brizzi had confirmed his personal details and told officers he had HIV and Hepatitis C plus "cuts to my hands because of cutting the corpse".

He told officers he started using crystal meth in 2013 and had seen a psychiatrist and psychologist who said he was "just fine".

The former Morgan Stanley developer told police: "I saw them in 2015 after I lost my job 'cause I had a job but wasn't able to keep the job because I was constantly high on drugs."

He went on: "The problem with that is that the psychologist says crystal meth causes psychosis. I was raised a Catholic, being gay was evil. And the devil. So I've been into Satan."

Brizzi said he was on crystal meth when a "very clear voice said you must kill, you must kill, you must kill".

After being reminded of his legal rights, Brizzi said it was the "truth" and could be used as evidence.

He went on: "I've always been against murder. I was out of my mind, because I must have been out of my mind.

"I am just mentioning this simply because the murder was dictated to me while I was high on drugs."

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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