John Gizzi, the Denbighshire man known on the streets of Rhyl as "Mr Big", has pleaded guilty to violent attacks against a woman and her sister. The 55-year-old, of Cwttir Lane, St Asaph, admitted using coercive and controlling behaviour against Natasha Farah, intentional strangulation of her sister Samantha Farah, and failing to disclose a mobile phone's PIN.
Gizzi was charged by police with "multiple domestic violence offences" in April 2026 and was originally set to stand trial this month. He changed his pleas to guilty at Mold Crown Court and will be sentenced on November 12.
From luxury lifestyle to criminal convictions
Gizzi once appeared to enjoy the trappings of a millionaire lifestyle. He lived in a luxury property valued at £1.75m near St Asaph Cathedral, drove a Bentley worth around £100,000, and would often wear a Rolex. His building business provided a public reason for his lavish spending, but questions over the source of his wealth, alongside a series of criminal convictions, brought him into the spotlight.
In 2006, Gizzi - then 34 - was sent to prison after beating up two homeless men with wooden staves. He also admitted a charge of conspiracy to supply counterfeit cigarettes and asked the court for 22 offences of mortgage fraud - involving almost £1.5m - to be taken into consideration.
Proceeds of Crime and drug gang
Following this, Gizzi was ordered to pay back £2.6m under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), a figure later reduced to £1m. This was raised by selling off his assets, including the St Asaph home, which slumped in value in the credit crunch but still sold for £800,000. As well as the mansion, 20 other mortgage properties were sold, in addition to a Rolex watch and a fleet of luxury cars that included a Bentley Continental, Range Rover and a Mercedes.
Gizzi was released after serving three years of a five-and-a-half-year sentence. However, his time behind bars did not put him on the path of rehabilitation. He went on to run a drugs gang that conspired to bring cocaine into Wales. A major undercover operation was launched by police to catch the group, with the 12-month investigation using intelligence, surveillance and forensic evidence.
During the investigation, police discovered £29,000 stuffed under the seat of a car. Officers also found cocaine with a street value of £162,000 when they stopped a taxi at Queensferry. Gizzi went to prison again in 2011 after admitting conspiring to bring cocaine into north Wales. He received an 11-year sentence at Caernarfon Crown Court; his nine-strong gang was locked up for a total of 66 years.
Later breaches and latest offences
This was later reduced to 10 years on appeal, as Lord Justice Moore-Bick said the sentencing judge at Caernarfon Crown Court had not given Gizzi enough credit for pleading guilty and other mitigation, including family bereavements and good behaviour in prison. Despite his long sentence, he was expected to be released in 2015, but under a strict Serious Crimes Prevention Order that would run for a further five years after his release.
After his release, Gizzi went on to run a block paving business. He ended up back in court in 2018 after breaching part of the order which had stringent financial rules. He walked into Santander banks in Colwyn Bay and Rhyl four times in April and May that year and paid in £15,000. Giving Gizzi a 12-month conditional discharge, Judge Niclas Parry said: "Block paving isn't paying as much as drugs but it's not doing too badly from what I can see. I am imposing what is known as a conditional discharge. It is accepted it is one, an unintentional breach, and two, technical."
He was back in court in 2022 after punching a man following a parking dispute in Lower Street, St Asaph. Gizzi found him and confronted him near his house in a heated exchange on July 22, 2020. He was sentenced to a 12-month community order, having to do 270 hours of unpaid work, pay the victim £379 compensation and pay £770 costs.
His latest crimes will see him face a far greater punishment. On Wednesday, North Wales Police said investigating violence against women and girls is a "priority" for the force.
