Killer of Scottish police officer ‘wove noose’ before being found in his cell

A man convicted of murdering a Scots police officer before dismembering his body and trying to dissolve it in a bath of acid wove himself a ligature a few months before he was found hanging in his cell, an inquest has heard.

Stefano Brizzi, 50, was found suspended from a light fitting in his cell at HMP Belmarsh on 5 February last year, less than three months into his 24-year sentence for killing PC Gordon Semple, who was originally from Inverness, after meeting him on gay dating app Grindr.

Brizzi previously worked as a web developer for merchant 0 Stefano Brizzi was sentenced to 24 years bank Morgan Stanley and held degreesinphilosophyandweb development, but had not held a job since 2014 due to his fight with crystal meth addiction.

PC Semple, who was on duty when he arranged to meet Brizzi, was reported missing by his partner on 2 April, 2016 – sparking a manhunt. Police were alerted to the smell of chemicals and decomposing flesh coming from Brizzi’s flat on the Peabody Trust Estate in Borough, south-east London, on 7 April.

Dr Matthew Cook, who was working as a locum forensic psychiatrist at the prison at the time, said Brizzi was irritated at the level of intervention by prison staff.

“He said he had made the noose on the Friday and that he had no intention of using it and it was only when [staff] found it on the Monday that he was transferred off his block.”