by Lucy Ashton
A watch dealer who defrauded his victims out of more than £1 million has been jailed for just over five years.
Adam Moore-Lynch ran Manchester Watch Hub based on King Street in the city and promised to sell on clients’ high-value watches while taking a seller’s cut.
Instead, he sold the watches, some worth up to £120,000, and kept the money for himself.
Moore-Lynch, pictured right, of St Andrews Crescent, Mansewood, Dumbarton, Scotland, pleaded guilty to fraud, converting criminal property and carrying on a business with intent to defraud creditors. He was sentenced to serve five years and one month at Manchester Crown Court today.
The investigation by officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit (ECCU) started in January 2024 when Moore-Lynch was arrested.
A thorough investigation followed with analysis of almost 50 victims’ bank accounts and mobile devices.
Detective Constable Michelle Wilkinson, of the Complex Fraud Investigation team, said: “Although the sentence imposed will provide a degree of closure for the victims, it is recognised that this outcome remains overshadowed by the significant financial and emotional loss they continue to endure.
“The stolen watches have not been recovered, and it is highly likely they were subsequently sold to unsuspecting buyers, which further complicates efforts to recover the victims’ property.”