Fraudster Matthew Normyle Jailed Nearly 3 Years for Scamming Friends Out of £87,000
Matthew Normyle, from Lord Street, Morecambe, was sentenced to two years and 10 months at Manchester Crown Court today (Tuesday 4 January 2022) for a string of nasty frauds. The crook raked in a whopping £87,250 by conning friends, colleagues, and even his ex-partner with bogus boiler company investments. A Proceeds of Crime hearing is planned to claw back his ill-gotten cash.
‘Elite Heating’ Scam Busted
While living in Salford and Rochdale, Normyle tricked victims with a fake firm called ‘Elite Heating’. Claiming the company supplied boilers to a building firm, he convinced victims to invest tens of thousands — but the business never existed.
- One victim, a longtime friend, sunk £25,000 into Normyle’s non-existent boilers. Promised payouts never came. Normyle even faked emails from a fake accountant ‘Howie’ to cover his tracks.
- Another victim, desperate and trusting, borrowed money to invest £25,500. Normyle paid back a measly £10,000 in total before disappearing with the rest.
- A third victim, tricked into investing £26,000 after checking Normyle’s claims, saw no returns and was told ‘Howie’ had stolen the money.
- Two ex-colleagues lost £7,500 and £5,000, a sixth victim £5,000, and Normyle’s former partner £3,250—all scammed in the heating sham.
Victims Exploited and Betrayed
Normyle’s fraud wasn’t limited to investment scams — he also took advantage of a long-term customer by falsely claiming that a new boiler he’d fitted was faulty, demanding costly “repairs.”
After victims tried to confront Normyle, he vanished. Police finally arrested him at Manchester Airport on 28 May 2021 as he returned from Spain.
Hilltop Has-Been’s Lifestyle Fueled by Lies
Detective Constable Clara Williams of GMP’s Complex Fraud Investigation Team said: “Normyle made the despicable choice to scam friends and family to pay his debts and fuel a lavish lifestyle. His crimes have wrecked trust and caused real hardship.”
“Though we’re glad he’s going to prison, we’re also launching a Proceeds of Crime case to seize any future gains and help victims recover their losses.”
“Fighting fraud is relentless, but we urge the public to stay vigilant. If you see or suspect anything, report it. Together, we can stop crooks in their tracks.”
How to Report Fraud
If you have information on fraud, contact police via LiveChat at www.gmp.police.uk, call 101, or 999 in an emergency. You can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
