Autumn date set for Semple murder trial
Stefano Brizzi is accused of killing the Inverness-born PC
An Italian-born man will go on trial in the autumn for allegedly strangling and dismembering Inverness-born PC Gordon Semple after meeting him on gay dating website Grindr.
Stefano Brizzi (49) is accused of killing the 59-year-old officer at his flat on a day between April 1st and April 7th.
He was taken before the Recorder of London, Nicholas Hilliard QC, at the Old Bailey to face the murder charge.
Bearded Brizzi, who appeared in court wearing dark sunglasses and a grey tracksuit, was flanked by three dock officers.
The judge set a timetable for the case with a provisional trial date of Tuesday October 28th. A plea and case management hearing was fixed for June 29th.
The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing on April 20th.
PC Semple had been with the Metropolitan Police for 30 years. He went missing on April 1st and his remains were discovered a week later after a neighbour alerted Scotland Yard to a "smell of death" coming from a property on the Peabody Estate in Southwark Street, south London.