Millionaire 'preyed on the weak'

John Damon Gizzi 'preyed on vulnerable people' police said

John Damon Gizzi was a millionaire who portrayed himself as a legitimate builder and property tycoon.

Gizzi, 34, who has been jailed for five and a half years, lived in a lavish mansion near the A55 in north Wales and drove a £100,000 Bentley, had long been tormenting people in Rhyl.

Police said he was a bully preying on the weak who beat up homeless people and believed himself to be untouchable.

Detectives said he intimidated locals, ruled Rhyl and saw himself as a Mr Big.

The investigation into Gizzi took nine months.

He's a fairly well organised criminal, surrounded by a number of people from a similar ilk Detective Superintendent Chris Corcoran

Before sentence at Chester Crown Court on Friday, Gizzi had pleaded guilty to three charges of serious assault, two of grievous bodily harm and one of actual bodily harm.

Two of the homeless victims ended up in hospital after they were beaten with wooden staves and kicked and punched.

He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell counterfeit cigarettes, and 22 charges of mortgage fraud totalling £1.4m were taken into consideration.

Police believe they secured a conviction only because of the bravery of those who were willing to testify against him.

"The real heroes of the day are the homeless victims who had the courage to stand up and give evidence in court," said Det Supt Chris Corcoran, who led the police inquiry.

John Gizzi lived in style at Bronwylfa Hall, St Asaph

"People have been afraid to give evidence because they have to live in Rhyl thereafter and move around their normal daily business with people they know they've given evidence against."

Det Supt Corcoran said Gizzi was "a leech... and a bully, preying on the weak, the homeless and defenceless.

"He's ruled Rhyl for a number of years through threats and intimidation.

"He sees himself as untouchable within the Rhyl area and we believe that he believes he can do what he wants and get away with it.

"He's a fairly well organised criminal, surrounded by a number of people of a similar ilk."

Assets stripped

Police are determined that when he leaves prison Gizzi will not return to a sumptuous lifestyle built up through crime.

They believe he has property throughout north Wales worth several million pounds and will put a case to Chester Crown Court in June for him to be stripped of his assets.

"We will seek to take every asset he has illegally gained," said Mr Corcoran.

He's an up-and-coming Al Capone and I'm very pleased that something's being done about it now, to check up on him and slow him up Rhyl businessman

"He will not be able to start up any illegal organisations through wealth, so he'll have no money to support him and therefore, hopefully, loss of status."

Although they would not go into detail, police said they used a range of methods to gather evidence against Gizzi, including stop checks, high visibility policing and CCTV cameras.

There was high security at Chester Crown Court

But even after they were confident with the evidence, police were worried that guns might be used to help him escape from custody.

There was high security, including an armed escort, to and from court to ensure the man feared by so many did not slip from their grasp.

One local businessman, who did not want to be named, was pleased he was behind bars.

He said: "He's not the kind of person you want to cross, he hurts people, sends people round people's houses.

"He's an up-and-coming Al Capone and I'm very pleased that something's being done about it now, to check up on him and slow him up, otherwise, in my opinion, someone was going to die one day.

"He and some of his friends have been a lot of Rhyl's undoing. That's my opinion and I don't make it lightly".