Scunthorpe man jailed after counterfeit cash spree across North Lincolnshire

A man from Scunthorpe has been jailed after using thousands of pounds in counterfeit money in a case that affected sellers and shops across North and North East Lincolnshire. Johnathan Nolan, 34, of Cherry Grove, Scunthorpe, was sentenced at Grimsby Crown Court on 27 March to three years and three months in prison. The court heard he spent more than £6,000 in fake cash, using counterfeit £20 notes to buy items from people advertising on Facebook Marketplace as well as goods in High Street shops. The case has a clear local impact, with offences taking place in Scunthorpe and Grimsby and investigators saying the fake notes had the potential to leave both businesses and residents out of pocket.

For anyone selling a phone, television or other household item privately, the damage can be immediate. A sale may appear straightforward, only for the cash handed over to turn out to be worthless. Police said Nolan was arrested in October 2025, but went on to use more counterfeit money while on bail. Items bought during that period included televisions and Christmas cards in Scunthorpe and Grimsby.

Nolan was found guilty at Grimsby Magistrates' Court on 11 February of five counts of tendering counterfeit currency and seven counts of having counterfeit currency. He had already pleaded guilty on 3 February to two counts of shop theft and three breaches of suspended sentence orders. As part of the sentence, he was also ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge. Detective Constable Callum Harbron said the investigation was complex and involved work with the National Crime Agency.

He said that effort helped stop fake notes from continuing to circulate across North and North East Lincolnshire. He also said Nolan showed no consideration for the people who believed they were accepting genuine cash for their goods. That point is likely to resonate with many in Lincolnshire, where online marketplaces and community selling pages are now a routine way for people to buy and sell everyday items. Counterfeit cases can hit local communities in several ways.

Independent shops can be left carrying the loss if fake notes are accepted, while private sellers may have little chance of recovering money once a buyer has gone. In places where word of mouth and local trust still matter, offences like these can also dent confidence in face-to-face sales. The sentence brings the case to a close in court, but it also serves as a reminder for Lincolnshire residents and traders to be cautious when handling cash, particularly in private sales. In this case, the false notes were used repeatedly in ordinary local transactions, turning everyday purchases into a criminal scheme that stretched across communities in this part of the county.

This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.bbc.com.