Cannibal killer Stefano Brizzi was found hanged in his cell around a month after being taken off suicide watch, an inquest heard.
Italian national Brizzi, 50, who killed Inverness born and raised policeman Gordon Semple, died at Belmarsh high-security jail in Woolwich, London, on February 5.
Family of murdered Inverness cop left in emotional turmoil after killer’s body found in prison cell
Brizzi, who was HIV-positive, was for a time on a programme for prisoners considered at risk which provided a care plan and monitored mental health issues, a pre-inquest review hearing at Southwark Coroner’s Court was told.
The crystal meth addict was taken off the programme on December 28 and several days later on January 4 “suicide watch ceased”, senior coroner Dr Andrew Harris said.
A noose and a letter “indicating he was thinking about death” had been found in a cell he occupied on his own, the hearing was told. Dr Harris gave the cause of death as hanging, adding there were no injuries “implying altercation with another party”.
A full inquest will seek to determine the “management of information found in his cell indicating he was thinking about death”, Dr Harris said.
The noose was said to have been discovered on December 6 while he was still on suicide watch.
It was unclear whether the letter was found on December 10 or was dated December 10 and discovered later, the court heard.
Dr Harris queried the potential “non-disclosure” of the letter to healthcare staff and said it had been suggested Brizzi made the noose out of boredom.
A date of April 23 next year was given for the opening of the inquest, which will have a jury.
Brizzi strangled Mr Semple, 59, during a bondage sex session and then cooked and tried to eat him.
The former Morgan Stanley IT developer met his victim on gay dating app Grindr, inviting him for a “hot, dirty, sleazy session” at his flat near London’s Tate Modern gallery on April 1.
The Breaking Bad fan admitted being inspired by the television series as he tried to get away with killing Mr Semple by dissolving his flesh in an acid bath.
