A man who carried out a campaign of abuse towards his partner and her sister has been jailed, with the victim's family branding him "the devil in disguise". John Gizzi, known as Rhyl's 'Mr Big', was sentenced at Mold Crown Court on Thursday.
The 55-year-old, of Cwttir Lane, St Asaph, received four years in jail for coercive and controlling behaviour. He was handed an additional 11 months for the intentional strangulation of his partner's sister, Samantha.
Abuse described in court
The court heard Gizzi told Natasha Farah, known as Tasha, to "die and do us all a favour", rammed her car and threatened her with a dumbbell. He also pushed her into a hotel swimming pool and tossed her clothes onto a roof when he found her at a train station.
Elen Owen, prosecuting, listed abusive incidents between Gizzi and Tasha and her sister. In one incident, at Colwyn Bay Football Club, Gizzi turned up in a Land Rover Discovery. Gizzi, who would often lend expensive cars to Tasha, tore off a rear view mirror of the Mercedes she was driving then punched Tasha who was still inside the car.
Tasha was later found injured in April this year. She suffered brain damage and now needs round the clock hospital care. There is no evidence Gizzi was directly responsible for the injuries Tasha sustained, but he was responsible for the "worst case" of domestic and psychological violence that a judge had ever seen, the court heard.
Family impact statement
The Farah family branded Gizzi a "monster" and "the devil in disguise". Tasha's mum Denise Farah read a statement to the court detailing the "devastating impact" of Gizzi's actions on the whole family.
She said: "It is the stuff of extreme nightmares. All our precious lives will never, ever be the same again. There has been pain, grief, anger, torture and intense heartache for my beautiful daughter Natasha. We as a family have been robbed of something so very special."
Denise described Gizzi as a "sickening, violent individual" and a "monster". Tasha's sister Samantha called him "the devil in disguise".
Denise said: "Natasha is the kindest soul in the world. She loves Roman, her only boy. She gave him a grounding in life. It was beautiful to watch their bond. He adores her. He said: 'My mum is perfect'."
She added: "To go for seven months to hospital and be told by doctors your daughter is brain damaged....(My) beautiful, vibrant daughter, to see the tubes and knowing you can't do anything as a mother is pure hell. After being told about brain damage I wanted to smash that room. I wailed in the corridor."
Denise also described the impact on Samantha: "My other daughter Samantha was rammed by Gizzi's four by four (car). She is a shell of herself. She's nervous, anxious and not wanting to go out. Her relationship broke down."
Sentencing and background
Duncan Bould, defending, said his client "has expressed regret and accepted responsibility for his violent behaviour and the harm he caused in the relationship".
Judge Simon Mills said Gizzi has a "troubling history" and called his main offence "one of the worst cases of coercive control that can be contemplated".
Gizzi was also given a four-month, concurrent jail term for failing to disclose a mobile phone PIN. He was made the subject of a restraining order and a domestic abuse protection order, both for 15 years.
