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Stefano Brizzi found guilty for murder of former policeman Gordon Semple | Stefano Brizzi found guilty for murder of former policeman Gordon Semple |
(35 minutes later) | |
A sadomasohist has been convicted of murder for strangling a police officer to death during a bondage sex session and then trying to dispose of the body in an acid bath | |
Stefano Brizzi, 50, admitted he was inspired by TV series Breaking Bad as he tried to get away with killing 59-year-old Pc Gordon Semple by dissolving his flesh. | |
Following an Old Bailey trial, the former Morgan Stanley IT developer was found guilty of murder by a majority of 10 to two after the jury had deliberated for more than 30 hours. | |
Brizzi, who gave no reaction as the jury delivered its verdict, will be sentenced on Friday, 9 December. | |
The court heard how the defendant met his victim on gay dating app Grindr and arranged a "hot dirty sleazy session" at his flat near London's Tate Modern gallery on 1 April. | |
According to Brizzi, Pc Semple died when a dog leash he had been wearing as part of a sex game slipped. | |
But a pathologist concluded that while strangulation was a possible cause of death, it would have taken minutes rather than moments, as the defendant had claimed. | |
In the days after the killing, crystal meth addict Brizzi was caught on CCTV buying buckets, a perforated metal sheet and cleaning products from a DIY store. He then set about dismembering the body and stripping the flesh. | |
Meanwhile, Pc Semple's long-term partner Gary Meeks raised the alarm and reported him missing when he failed to return to their home in Dartford, in Kent. | |
Neighbours complained about the stench coming from Brizzi's flat and eventually called police who came across "globules" of flesh floating in the bath, bags containing bones and a part of Pc Semple's head, and pools of human fat in the oven. | |
Brizzi, who was wearing pink underpants and sunglasses, was arrested as officers realised the enormity of what they had found. | |
The court heard there was evidence in the kitchen that Brizzi had chopped up the Inverness-born officer with a variety of utensils and may have even used chopsticks to eat morsels of cooked meat. | |
Following his arrest, Brizzi admitted killing and trying to dissolve the body of a policeman because "Satan told me to". | |
During the killing, he said he had turned away a man on his doorstep who had arrived for a sex party organised on Grindr. | |
Brizzi said: "I was right in the middle of strangling Gordon and I said to him 'Look, this is not the right time now, people are falling ill and it's a mess'." | |
The Italian also told police that he had "chucked" some of Pc Semple's body into the Thames and thrown away his police badge and belongings. | |
A human foot was later found by a member of Thames Mudlark Club near Bermondsey Wall. | |
The court heard that Brizzi was addicted to crystal meth, which had cost him his job at financial giant Morgan Stanley. | |
In his home, police found a mask and dog leash with Pc Semple's DNA on it as well as a copy of the Satanic Bible. | |
Giving evidence, Brizzi, who has HIV, told jurors of the difficulties of being a gay man brought up in a religious Italian family. | |
He told jurors Pc Semple died in a "state of erotic bliss". | |
His lawyer, Sallie Bennett-Jenkins QC, insisted he was no "monster" and could not have eaten Pc Semple's flesh as it was covered in chemicals. | |
Throughout his evidence, Brizzi wept and cried out "I'm sorry" as he was confronted with what he had done. | |
He had earlier admitted a charge of obstructing a coroner by disposing of the body. Pc Semple's brain and other internal organs have never been found. | |
Additional reporting by Press Association |