John Gizzi jailed for coercive control and abuse of partner

John Gizzi has been jailed for four years and 11 months after admitting coercive and controlling behaviour towards his partner, Natasha Farah, and strangling her sister. The judge described the abuse as “appalling” and among the worst cases of coercive control he had seen.

Mold Crown Court heard that Gizzi, 55, of St Asaph, subjected Farah, 32, to repeated assaults and abusive messages between March 2025 and April 2026. Judge Mills said she was often seen with bruises and had been struck with a dumbbell. He also described assaults in front of other people, including Farah’s child.

The court heard that the abuse came to light after Farah was found at her flat in Rhos on Sea on 7 April following a suspected suicide attempt. She was left with severe brain damage. Prosecutor Elen Owen told the court it was not the Crown’s case that Gizzi was responsible for what happened that day; the discovery prompted an investigation into the abuse.

The judge said a domestic abuse protection order had not gone ahead after Farah asked magistrates not to proceed. He said she had a note that appeared to tell her what to say. Police had also sought an order after Gizzi was arrested following a CCTV-recorded incident, but magistrates declined to make one after Farah did not co-operate.

Gizzi admitted three offences at a hearing last month, including strangling Farah’s sister Samantha at a pub in Colwyn Bay. He also pleaded guilty to refusing to give police the PIN for his phone. The phone contained abusive messages, including one in which Farah told him he had made her feel “worthless” and had “broken” and “crushed” her.

Judge Mills said the events that left Farah with serious brain damage were not covered by an offence in the indictment. He said North Wales Police would investigate if circumstances changed or further evidence came to light. Gizzi also received a concurrent four-month sentence for refusing to provide his phone PIN.

Outside court, Farah’s mother, Denise, said she would campaign for longer sentences for coercive and controlling behaviour.