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 enger, 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 s.

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":[]}