A young police officer has told a court of her shock at discovering the remains of a Highland policeman in London.
Constable Charlotte Edwards, who joined the force two years ago, was first to attend Stefano Brizzi’s flat with her colleague constable Helen Savage, the court heard.
She was giving evidence in the trial of former Morgan Stanley worker Brizzi, who is accused of murdering Constable Gordon Semple, originally from Inverness, and then trying to dispose of his body in an acid bath.
The pair had been called to investigate a pungent smell coming from the property on the Peabody Estate near Tate Modern six days after Constable Semple disappeared on April 1.
The 50-year-old defendant answered the door wearing pink Y-fronts and steered them towards the bathroom, the court heard.
Constable Edwards told jurors it smelled strongly of chemicals and “gone off meat”.
Brizzi allegedly told Constable Edwards: “I’ve tried to dissolve the body. I’ve killed a police officer. Satan told me to.”
Constable Edwards said she looked in a black bin bag on the floor and saw what reminded her of a chicken carcass.
The floor was slippery as if covered in a “layer of slime”, she said.
Constable Edwards, who at the time was unaware a fellow officer was missing, encouraged Brizzi to get dressed so they could get him out as “calmly as possible”, the court heard.
Brizzi was led away by Constable Savage and two paramedics leaving Constable Edwards alone in the flat awaiting more officers to arrive.
The court heard it was only then that the enormity of what she had witnessed hit home, she said: “I was feeling quite shaky. I realised what was going on, I didn’t realise it was a police officer.”
Later, Brizzi told her that he had flushed “flabbery bits” – taken to mean internal organs – down the toilet five minutes before, the court heard.
Earlier, the court heard how a man – who remains anonymous – who was supposed to be at the sex party buzzed the door of the lfat but was told to go away because there was a “situation”.
The court was also told how PC Semple’s partner, Gary Meeks, reported the victim missing the day after he had met his death.
Mr Meeks made a statement to police on April 5, before the dismembered body of his partner of 25 years was found.
He said his last contact with Pc Semple was to ask him to record Gogglebox on the television at about 7.45pm, the court heard.
Later, another witness said Brizzi turned up at a meeting of Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA) sporting a Breaking Bad T-shirt.
