Trial begins for man accused of murdering gay police officer he met on Grindr
The trial has begun of a man accused of murdering a police officer he met via Grindr.
Stefano Brizzi has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge over the killing of 59-year-old officer Gordon Semple.
A jury was sworn in at the Old Bailey today, with opening arguments set to begin on Thursday. The trial is expected to last three weeks.
49-year-old Italian-born Brizzi is accused of murdering Semple at his London flat, between April 1 and April 7.
The prosecution alleges that Brizzi dismembered Mr Semple’s body and disposed of it in communal waste bins on the Peabody Estate in Southwark Street, south London.
PC Semple’s remains were found after a neighbour reported a “smell of death” coming from Brizzi’s flat.
The police officer went missing on April 1 after being last seen close to London Bridge.
His partner, Gary Meeks, reported him missing later that day.
Originally from Inverness, PC Semple worked at Bank of Scotland before joining the force, where he had worked for 30 years.
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