PC Gordon Semple: Officer 'killed and dismembered on Grindr sex date'

Gordon Semple served with the Metropolitan Police for 30 years

A police officer was strangled and his body dismembered and partially dissolved in a bath of acid, a court has heard.

The Old Bailey was told PC Gordon Semple, 59, had made a date with his alleged murderer Stefano Brizzi on the dating app Grindr.

The policeman then went to Mr Brizzi's flat in south London for sex on 1 April, the jury heard.

Mr Brizzi denies murder claiming the PC died accidentally during a sex game.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC told jurors the case called for "broad minds and strong stomachs".

Residents at the Peabody Estate complained of a smell

PC Semple, originally from Inverness, shared an interest in sado-masochistic sex with his alleged killer, jurors at the Old Bailey were told.

While he was on duty, the officer texted the Italian and arranged to go to his flat on the Peabody Estate in Southwark for "hot, dirty, sleazy" sex, the court heard.

They had also arranged for other men to come to the flat for a sex party, the jury heard.

The Old Bailey was told that hours later, Mr Brizzi was allegedly in the middle of throttling him when a man turned up on his doorstep.

'Globules of flesh'

The man was put off by the defendant by saying someone was "ill", the court heard.

Over the next few days, neighbours noticed a "revolting smell" coming from the flat and when one complained, Mr Brizzi put it down to cooking for a friend, the prosecution said.

By 7 April, a neighbour alerted police, who visited the flat and found Mr Brizzi wearing only sunglasses and underpants.

They also found a bath full of acid with "globules of flesh" floating in it, the court heard.

'Satan told me'

Mr Brizzi was said to be obsessed with the US television drama Breaking Bad.

The prosecution told the court his attempt to dissolve the body in an acid bath was inspired by the plot from the hit drama.

He allegedly told an officer: "I've tried to dissolve the body ... I've killed a police officer.

"I killed him last week. I met him on Grindr and I killed him. Satan told me to."

However, jurors were told that the defendant was not claiming a psychiatric defence and now says PC Semple died accidentally during a "sex game gone wrong".

'Nutella' drug

PC Semple's last communication on Grindr was a few minutes before at 19:04, the court heard.

Twenty minutes later, his partner tried to call his mobile phone but got no response. He later reported him missing.

The court heard that Mr Brizzi was a user of crystal meth - referred to as Nutella - which had led him to lose his job at US investment bank Morgan Stanley.

He allegedly told a support group he believed in the Devil, and liked "satanic rituals".

The court heard he also liked to boast of his sexual exploits and told one meeting he had tied a man up, treated him like a dog and made him go into a cage.

Mr Brizzi denies murder but has admitted a second charge of obstructing a coroner in the execution of duty between 31 March and 8 April 2016.