The first photo has been released of “true professional” Constable Gordon Semple proudly wearing his police uniform.
The Inverness-born policeman had served for 30 years before he was murdered in London earlier this year.
Drug addict Stefano Brizzi was found guilty last week of strangling Mr Semple before attempting to hide the evidence by cutting up his body and trying to dissolve it in a bath of acid.
The beat cop had moved to London and hoped to forge a career with the Met’s fraud squad but instead found unexpected happiness working on the streets of the capital.
He had joined the Bank of Scotland straight from school in 1973 and worked in Inverness, Dundee and London before joining the Metropolitan Police in 1986 at the age of 29.
His older brother Ronnie, 65, was surprised by the move but said Gordon took to it straight away and never looked back.
“He was in Peckham for years. He could tell some amount of stories when we went down to visit him.
“There were places you just had to avoid but he loved the community feel of it and never even wanted a promotion.
“When one of his sergeants met him for the first time, he said to Gordon later he initially thought he was a detective inspector rather than a constable because of the way he presented himself.
“Gordon knew his stuff and was a true professional.”
Before he was killed, after a hookup on a dating website, 59-year-old Mr Semple was working with the anti-social behaviour team within Westminster City Council.
Prior to that, he worked closely with the licensing trade in the West End.
Ronnie Semple said: “We couldn’t walk past any big pub or club without them stopping him and shaking hands.
“He was well-known and well respected.”
The trial at the Old Bailey heard a number of grisly details, including how 50-year-old Brizzi had roasted parts of his victim’s body and attempted to eat them with chopsticks.
Although he admitted what happened to his only brother still keeps him awake at night, Ronnie said his memories of Gordon as a funny, generous and kind man will always be with him.
As for Gordon’s killer, Ronnie said: “I wouldn’t want to ever speak to him, I am very angry. I hope he rots in jail, the guy is a monster. We as a family must move on, but Gordon will always be in our hearts and thoughts.”
Brizzi is due to return to court for sentencing next month.