John Gizzi Admits Attacking Two Sisters at Mold Crown Court, Wales 2026

Key Points

• John Gizzi, 55, of Cwttir Lane, St Asaph, Denbighshire, pleaded guilty to coercive and controlling behaviour towards Natasha Farah.
• He further admitted deliberately strangling Samantha Farah, Natasha’s sister, on April 3, 2026.
• Furthermore, John Gizzi pleaded guilty to failing to give police the mobile phone PIN on April 27, 2026.
• He was scheduled to appear at Mold Crown Court on five charges and the jury was discharged from those cases due to some legal reasons.
• Judge Simon Mills set the sentencing hearing date on November 12, 2026.
• It is alleged that Gizzi had attacked Natasha Farah several times on different days such as July and December 2025, February 13, March 15 and July 2026.
• In addition, he was controlling her dressing, insulting her, following her by his car and accusing her of cheating.
• Two more charges – attempt to cause grievous bodily harm and act done intending to pervert the course of justice – were among other charges but he pleaded guilty only for three of them.
• He served an eleven year jail term in 2011 for his participation in the cocaine trafficking.

Wales (Wales Times) October 13, 2026 — Notorious former gangster John Gizzi has admitted attacking two sisters after pleading guilty to coercive and controlling behaviour and intentional strangulation at Mold Crown Court. The 55-year-old, of Cwttir Lane, uk/local/st-asaph/">St Asaph, Denbighshire, entered guilty pleas to three charges after the jury in his trial was discharged for legal reasons.

As reported by North Wales Live, Gizzi admitted using coercive and controlling behaviour towards Natasha Farah between March 1, 2025, and April 8, 2026. He also admitted intentionally strangling Natasha’s sister, Samantha Farah, on April 3, 2026.

Gizzi’s third admission concerned a mobile telephone. He pleaded guilty to failing to disclose the PIN for a mobile phone to police on April 27, 2026, after being required to provide access to protected information stored on the device.

His Honour Judge Simon Mills told Gizzi that he would be sentenced on November 12. The judge said a pre-sentence report was “very important” and explained that he needed to understand Gizzi’s attitude to the admissions and how he might seek to rehabilitate himself in future.

What Charges Did John Gizzi Originally Face?

Gizzi had been due to face trial on five charges at Mold Crown Court. As reported by Eryri Môn’s North Wales Live coverage, the charges originally included coercive and controlling behaviour towards Natasha Farah, attempting to cause her grievous bodily harm between July 1 and July 30, 2025, intentional strangulation of Samantha Farah, doing an act intended to pervert the course of public justice, and failing to disclose a mobile-phone PIN.

The attempted grievous bodily harm allegation related to a period in July 2025, while the alleged act intended to pervert the course of justice concerned the concealment of a mobile phone from police on April 7, 2026.

At a hearing before the trial, Gizzi had denied all five charges. The Rhyl Journal reported that he denied controlling and coercive behaviour, attempted grievous bodily harm, intentional strangulation, perverting the course of justice, and failing to comply with a notice to disclose the key to protected information.

On Monday, October 12, a jury of eight men and three women was selected and sworn in. The trial was expected to last between two and three weeks.

Why Was the Jury Discharged?

The jury was discharged on Tuesday, October 13, after legal circumstances prevented the trial from proceeding as planned. WalesOnline reported that the jury was dismissed due to legal circumstances, after which Gizzi pleaded guilty to three counts.

The Rhyl Journal also reported that Judge Simon Mills discharged the 12 jurors at Mold Crown Court on Tuesday after they had been sworn in the previous day. The report said the trial had been expected to restart on Wednesday and that Gizzi was remanded in custody.

Neither WalesOnline nor North Wales Live reported the precise legal reason for the jury’s discharge. The court proceedings instead moved to Gizzi’s guilty pleas on three of the original allegations.

What Did the Court Hear About the Alleged Abuse?

In the glass-fronted dock, Gizzi, wearing a light grey jumper and trousers, acknowledged that he had repeatedly assaulted Natasha Farah, with whom he had an intimate relationship. WalesOnline reported that the assaults were said to have occurred on several occasions, including in July and December 2025, and on February 13, March 15 and in July 2026. One alleged incident was said to have taken place inside a vehicle.

The court also heard allegations that Gizzi controlled Natasha Farah’s clothing choices and subjected her to verbal insults, including derogatory names. It was further alleged that he pursued her in his car and accused her of cheating.

These matters formed part of the coercive and controlling behaviour charge to which Gizzi pleaded guilty. The charge covered the period from March 1, 2025, to April 8, 2026.

What Did Judge Simon Mills Say?

Judge Mills told Gizzi that he had already given an indication of the likely length of any prison sentence. However, he made clear that the final sentence could not be determined until a pre-sentence report had been prepared.

As reported by North Wales Live, the judge said: “I don’t know what your ultimate sentence will be. It is very important for there to be a pre-sentence report in this case. I need to know what your attitude to what you have admitted is.”

The judge added that he needed to know how Gizzi might set about rehabilitating himself in the future.

As Gizzi was led from the dock to the cells ahead of the sentencing hearing, he waved towards the judge.

What Is John Gizzi’s Criminal Background?

Gizzi has a significant previous criminal history. In 2011, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison at Caernarfon Crown Court for leading a drug-trafficking operation.

The BBC reported at the time that Gizzi, then 39 and from St George near Abergele, admitted conspiring to bring cocaine into Wales. The BBC also reported that he had earlier been freed in March 2009 after a judge at Mold Crown Court heard that he had repaid £1m following the sale of his assets.

WalesOnline described Gizzi as a “notorious former gangster” in its report on the latest court case.

What Happens Next in the Case?

Gizzi will return to Mold Crown Court for sentencing on November 12, 2026. Before then, the court is expected to consider a pre-sentence report, which Judge Mills said was necessary to assess his attitude to the offences and prospects for rehabilitation.

The three convictions to which he has pleaded guilty relate to coercive and controlling behaviour, intentional strangulation and failure to disclose a mobile-phone PIN. The remaining original allegations were not subject to guilty pleas in the reports published by WalesOnline, North Wales Live and the Rhyl Journal.

Background of the Development

The case began after Gizzi was charged with offences involving Natasha and Samantha Farah, with allegations spanning incidents in July 2025 and April 2026. The Rhyl Journal reported in June 2026 that Gizzi denied multiple domestic-violence offences and that his trial was listed to begin on October 12 at Mold Crown Court.

Further charges were added before the trial. In September 2026, the Rhyl Journal reported that Gizzi was accused of failing to comply with a section 49 notice requiring him to disclose the key to protected information stored on a mobile phone. He appeared at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court in connection with that allegation before the case was sent to Mold Crown Court.

By October 12, a jury had been selected for a trial expected to last up to three weeks. The following day, the jury was discharged and Gizzi admitted three offences, changing the course of a case that had been due to be decided by a jury.

How Could This Development Affect Domestic Abuse Victims and Local Communities?

For domestic abuse victims and their families in North Wales, the case may reinforce the importance of reporting coercive control, strangulation and technology-related obstruction to police. The guilty pleas cover conduct alleged to have continued over more than a year, including allegations of physical violence, verbal abuse, control over clothing and pursuit in a vehicle.

For the St Asaph and wider Denbighshire community, the sentencing hearing on November 12 is likely to determine the immediate consequences for Gizzi. Judge Mills has already indicated a likely sentence range, but the final term will depend on the pre-sentence report, Gizzi’s attitude to his admissions and the court’s assessment of rehabilitation.

For people following domestic abuse cases, the development also highlights that cases can change substantially once a trial begins. A jury that had been selected to hear five charges was discharged, after which the defendant admitted three offences; the remaining allegations were not resolved by guilty pleas in the published court reports.