Mother of four's murder has left children with an 'unbearable void'

A man who had a history of violently assaulting his partner has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for murdering the mother of four in Lisburn in 2020.

Natasha Melendez, who was 32 and originally from Venezuela, was attacked by John David Scott on 22 March 2020 and died from her injuries 10 days later.

Scott, 36, whose address was given as Maghaberry Prison, had pleaded guilty to the murder and three previous assaults on Ms Melendez.

The victim's mother said Ms Melendez's four young children and the rest of their family all feel "the unbearable void she left behind".

Her children were aged between 10 years old and five months old when she was killed.

For the first time, the court heard details of the relationship between Ms Melendez and Scott and the final assault that led to her death.

Ms Melendez had moved to Northern Ireland in 2009.

She and Scott had been in a relationship for four years and had one child together.

They had recently moved in together at the time of the assault at her home in Finch Gardens in Lisburn.

The prosecution said there was a history of physical violence by Scott towards Ms Melendez.

One witness had described an episode in which Scott had beaten Ms Melendez and thrown a vacuum cleaner at her before jumping on her.

In the early hours of the morning on the day of the assault, Ms Melendez was seen on CCTV with no sign of facial injuries.

That evening, a witness at the property recalled seeing her in bed, crying, with two black eyes and a swollen face.

At about 23:00 that night, she left her home with a friend, and was driving.

There were reports that her car was being driven erratically and the vehicle was eventually stopped by police.

Police found Ms Melendez was now the passenger, and the prosecution told the court her condition had deteriorated and she could no longer drive.

She was brought to Craigavon Hospital before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

She was bruised and bloodied and had fractured ribs.

A CT scan showed there was compromised blood flow to her brain and she was critically ill and was put in an induced coma.

Traces of drugs were found in her system.

A doctor called her mother, who lives in America, and told her she had suffered a stroke.

Eventually her family were told she could not survive and her mother travelled to Northern Ireland.

On 1 April 2020 Ms Melendez died from her injuries.

Scott told police during interviews he had "lashed out at her" because he was "unhappy with her drug use".

The prosecution said Scott "relied on the fear he had instilled within her in order to perpetuate violence against her".

A prosecution barrister told the court Ms Melendez was "a particularly vulnerable woman, given her build, and that she used drugs and was carrying injuries from previous attacks by him".

Scott's defence barrister said he had shown remorse.

He said it was a volatile relationship in which both Scott and Ms Melendez were frequent drug users.

He added there was "violence both ways" in the relationship.

But the judge, Mr Justice O'Hara, established to the court that any violence from Ms Melendez was "scratching by her".

The judge also detailed the extent of the harm inflicted on Ms Melendez.

He said after she died there were found to be abrasions, punctures, fractures and bruises all over her body and many internal injuries.

A defence barrister argued that Scott never intended to kill Ms Melendez.

But Justice O'Hara asked: "If he didn't intend to kill her, what did he think was going to happen if he kept assaulting her again and again and again?"

When discussing the mitigating factors in the case, the judge pointed to one attack during which Ms Melendez fled to a shop.

Mr Justice O'Hara asked the defence was it true that she "asked staff in the off licence not to call police because she was scared he was going to kill her?"

A barrister confirmed that was correct.

Mr Justice O'Hara replied: "And guess what? She turned out to be right."

The court heard Scott was arrested for murder on 1 April 2020, but was not interviewed by police until January 2022 due to complications around Covid-19 restrictions within the prison.

Scott initially pleaded not guilty but as a trial was due to begin he changed his plea.

Ms Melendez's mother, Maria De Los Angeles Mejias, and several other family members watched the sentencing via video-link from Florida.

In a victim impact statement, Ms De Los Angeles Mejias, along with Ms Melendez's aunts and her teenage son, wrote of their "pain and anguish".

Her mother said it was "impossible to put into words the suffering this has caused".

Her teenage son told the court his birthday and Mother's Day are particularly difficult for him and he would now "never know if she could have gotten better".

In a statement read outside the court, Ms Melendez's mother said: "Never in my worst nightmares did I think my daughter, Natasha, would become a victim of such a heinous crime."

Ms De Los Angeles Mejias described her as a "vibrant woman, full of life, cheerful and talkative".

"The word that best defines her is fearless," she added.

She said her daughter had endured "continued abuse" before her death and the past five years "have been a long and gruelling wait for justice".

"My parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and Natasha's children all feel the unbearable void she left behind," she added.

Addressing the media, Det Ch Insp Kerrie Foreman said a post mortem examination had confirmed that Natasha died from trauma to her head and neck.

"This was a vicious attack by the defendant," she said.

"It took the life of a young woman, leaving four young children without their mother.

"I am keen to encourage any victim of abuse, whatever your circumstances, to please come forward.

"We will listen to you and treat you with the utmost sensitivity."