AN Italian graduate accused of murdering a gay policeman and chopping up his body appeared in court today. 
Social worker Stefano Brizzi, 50, is charged with the the murder of 59-year-old PC Gordon Semple after he disappeared while on duty.

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The Met Police officer was reported missing by his partner, Gary Meeks, after he failed to return home from work on April 1st this year. 
Brizzi was arrested at his flat in the Peabody Estate in Southwark, south London, when PC Semple's remains were discovered a week after he went missing. 
He is accused of murdering PC Semple, who was originally from Inverness in Scotland, at some point during the six-day period. 
Brizzi appeared via videolink ast the Old Bailey from maximum security Belmarsh jail in south east London. 
Wearing a grey tracksuit and aviator sunglasses, bearded Brizzi spoke only to confirm his name. 

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He was not required to enter a plea, and a provisional trial date has been fixed for October 18th this year. 
Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC, the Recorder of London, said: "Thank you Mr Brizzi, that's all. Thank you." 
PC Semple went missing after leaving a meeting at the five-star Shangri La hotel in The Shard skyscraper on April 1 at around 12.30pm. 
CCTV cameras then picked him up nearly three hours hours later in nearby Great Guildford Street. 
The policeman, who was an antisocial behaviour officer with Westminster 
City Council, lived with his partner Gary Meeks, 49, in Greenhithe, 
Kent. 
Brizzi, a fan of TV show Breaking Bad, is believed to have studied at the University of Florence, in Firenze, Italy before coming to London in 2010. 
He is gay and has spoken about being from a strict religious background on social media. 

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After the family of PC Semple announced his death on Facebook, his brother, Ronnie Semple, said: "I would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts during the past dreadful week. 
"It has been a terrible time for us all, especially Gary. 
"Gordon will be sadly missed by all of his immediate family, his colleagues in the Met Police, former Bank of Scotland colleagues in Inverness and London, friends from his Tartan Army Days, but most of all the hardest loss is for Gary at this time."