Key Points
- John Damon Gizzi, aged 55 years, of Cwttir Lane, St Asaph, was handed a sentence of four years and 11 months at Mold Crown Court on Thursday, 12 November 2026.
- Gizzi pleaded guilty to coercive and controlling behaviour towards Natasha Farah; non-fatal or attempted strangulation of her sister Samantha Farah, and refusal to give his mobile phone PIN to the police.
- A sentence of four years was imposed for Gizzi’s coercive and controlling behaviour and 11 months was imposed for his act of strangulation, to run consecutively.
- Gizzi was also handed a concurrent sentence of four months for failing to comply with a section 49 notice requiring him to hand over his phone PIN.
- Natasha Farah was discovered unconscious at her flat in Rhos-on-Sea on 7 April 2026 and is still recovering in hospital due to severe brain injury.
- It has been stated by prosecutors that there is no evidence pointing to Gizzi being responsible for Natasha Farah’s brain damage.
- Gizzi was remanded in custody after being arrested in April 2026.
- He was put under restraining orders and a Domestic Abuse Protection Order for 15 years.
- Rebecca Donaghy, detective constable of North Wales Police has stated that Gizzi’s guilty pleas reflected the seriousness and continued nature of the abuse.
- North Wales Police also stated that Natasha and Samantha Farah were named in its reporting in accordance with their wishes.
St Asaph (Wales Times) November 13, 2026 – John Damon Gizzi has been jailed for four years and 11 months after admitting a campaign of coercive and controlling behaviour against Natasha Farah and the intentional strangulation of her sister, Samantha Farah.
Gizzi, 55, of Cwttir Lane, uk/local/st-asaph/">St Asaph, appeared via video link at Mold Crown Court on Thursday, 12 November, for sentencing. As reported by Wales247, he had previously changed his pleas to guilty at his trial last month and had remained remanded in custody since his arrest in April.
The sentence comprised four years’ imprisonment for controlling and coercive behaviour and 11 months for intentional strangulation, to run consecutively. Gizzi was also given a four-month concurrent term after admitting failure to provide police with the PIN for his mobile phone.
In addition to imprisonment, Gizzi was made subject to restraining orders and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders, both lasting 15 years.
What offences did John Gizzi admit?
Gizzi admitted controlling and coercive behaviour, non-fatal strangulation, and failing to comply with a section 49 notice, which required him to disclose his mobile phone PIN to police.
As reported by WalesOnline, Gizzi admitted using coercive and controlling behaviour against Natasha Farah between 1 March 2025 and 8 April 2026. He also admitted intentionally strangling Natasha’s sister, Samantha Farah, on 3 April 2026.
The investigation found prolonged verbal and physical abuse towards Natasha Farah. Gizzi was said to have threatened her, caused criminal damage to her property and controlled the clothes she wore.
ITV News Wales reported that the court heard evidence of Gizzi’s verbal and physical abuse, including threats and criminal damage, and that his manipulation extended to controlling the clothing Natasha wore.
What happened in Rhos-on-Sea?
North Wales Police officers attended a house in Rhos-on-Sea on 7 April 2026 following reports of welfare concerns for Natasha Farah. Gizzi was arrested soon afterwards.
As reported by Nation.Cymru, the court heard that Natasha Farah, 31, was found unconscious at her flat in Rhos-on-Sea in April and remains in hospital in an unresponsive state with serious brain damage. The court also heard that there was no evidence that Gizzi, who found her unconscious, was directly responsible for that injury.
The Daily Post reported that prosecutor Ms Owen told the court that Ms Farah was found by Gizzi hanging by a rope on 7 April. Gizzi told police that he cut her down. The report stated that there was no evidence that Gizzi was directly responsible for the injuries, but that the discovery prompted a police investigation which led to his convictions.
The court proceedings and subsequent reporting therefore distinguish between the offences for which Gizzi was convicted and the serious brain injury suffered by Natasha Farah. The Daily Post reported that Judge Simon Mills described Gizzi as having a “troubling history” and called the coercive-control offence “one of the worst cases of coercive control that can be contemplated”.
What did the judge say?
His Honour Judge Simon Mills sentenced Gizzi at Mold Crown Court. According to The Daily Post, the judge said Gizzi had a “troubling history” and described the coercive-control case as “one of the worst cases of coercive control that can be contemplated”.
WalesOnline reported that Judge Mills imposed a total sentence of four years and 11 months. It also reported that Gizzi had been remanded in custody since his arrest in April and had admitted the coercive-control and intentional-strangulation charges at Mold Crown Court in September.
The sentencing hearing was attended by members of the Farah family. The Daily Post reported that Natasha and Samantha’s parents outlined the impact of Gizzi’s actions on Tasha and the wider family during what it described as an emotionally charged hearing.
What did North Wales Police say?
Detective Constable Rebecca Donaghy, of North Wales Police, said the guilty pleas reflected the serious nature of Gizzi’s offending and the sustained controlling and coercive behaviour he subjected his victim to over an extended period.
She said: “This pattern of behaviour had a profound and lasting effect on her freedom, independence, confidence, and sense of safety.”
Detective Constable Donaghy also acknowledged the impact on the victim’s immediate family, saying: “I am fully aware of the impact this case has also had on the victim’s immediate family and recognise both their bravery and patience, in what has been an extremely difficult and emotional time for them.”
She added: “Gizzi also admitted the intentional strangulation of another female – which is an extremely serious act of violence.”
Detective Constable Donaghy said: “I want to recognise the courage it takes for victims of domestic abuse to come forward and to engage with a criminal investigation.” She said that doing so could be “incredibly difficult”, particularly where offending involved a prolonged pattern of intimidation and control.
She said the force hoped the sentence would provide reassurance that victims’ experiences had been heard and the offences taken seriously.
“Violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour, remains an absolute priority for North Wales Police,” Detective Constable Donaghy said.
She added: “We are committed to identifying perpetrators, protecting victims and pursuing offenders through the criminal justice system.”
Detective Constable Donaghy said: “Anyone who chooses to perpetrate violence or abuse or abuse against women and girls should be in no doubt that the officers will pursue them and that we will seek to ensure they are dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.”
How did the family respond?
Members of the Farah family were present at the sentencing hearing and made statements about the impact of the case. The Daily Post reported that the family described Gizzi as a “monster” and “the devil in disguise”.
The same report said the family said that “Tasha cries real tears but can’t make a sound”, and that they “grieve how she was before”.
The Liverpool Echo reported that shouts of “rot in hell” were heard in court as the Farah family branded Gizzi a “monster” and “the devil in disguise”.
North Wales Police said it respects the privacy of all victims of crime and that the names of Natasha and Samantha were included in its reporting at the family’s request.
Background of the development
John Damon Gizzi, 55, of Cwttir Lane, St Asaph, was arrested in April 2026 after police attended a property in Rhos-on-Sea following welfare concerns for Natasha Farah.
He had been remanded in custody since that arrest. Gizzi changed his pleas to guilty in September 2026, admitting controlling and coercive behaviour, intentional strangulation and failure to comply with a section 49 notice requiring disclosure of his mobile phone PIN.
The coercive-control charge related to conduct between 1 March 2025 and 8 April 2026, while the intentional-strangulation charge related to an incident involving Samantha Farah on 3 April 2026.
The case was heard at Mold Crown Court, where Judge Simon Mills imposed the custodial sentence and 15-year restraining and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders.
Prediction: How this development can affect domestic abuse victims and communities
This sentencing may affect domestic abuse victims, their families and communities in North Wales by reinforcing that coercive and controlling behaviour, as well as strangulation, can result in substantial criminal sanctions. The case may encourage victims who have experienced prolonged intimidation, financial or social control, threats or violence to consider reporting concerns to police or support services.
For victims and survivors, the case highlights the importance of preserving evidence where it is safe to do so, including messages, photographs, medical records, witness details and records of property damage. It also underlines that abuse does not need to involve a single physical assault to be criminal: sustained coercion, intimidation and control can form the basis of a serious offence.
For families and communities, the case may increase awareness that domestic abuse can have consequences beyond the direct victim. Detective Constable Donaghy specifically recognised the effect on the victim’s immediate family and the courage required to engage with a criminal investigation.
For local support services and police, the case may reinforce the need for early intervention, specialist domestic abuse support and consistent follow-up where coercive control is reported. North Wales Police stated that violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour, remains an absolute priority, and that it is committed to identifying perpetrators, protecting victims and pursuing offenders through the criminal justice system.
