A notorious conman who posed as a wealthy banker and MI6 agent to swindle a woman out of her life savings has been ordered to pay her £125,000 in compensation.
A Calculated Deception
Mark Acklom, 52, was jailed for duping divorcee Carolyn Woods into handing over all her money after promising to marry her. He left her penniless and suicidal when he fled abroad. His elaborate con saw him adopt a false identity, presenting himself as a sophisticated financier and secret service operative to win her trust and systematically drain her finances.
Sky News later tracked Acklom down to Spain and Switzerland, from where he was extradited back to the UK in 2019. He was subsequently extradited back to Spain to complete a previous sentence he had fled from.
The Long Road to Justice
At the end of a five-year series of hearings under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) at Bristol Crown Court, lawyers agreed that Acklom had benefited by £710,000 from his fraud against Ms Woods. However, his traceable assets were found to be only £125,000.
Judge Martin Picton made a confiscation order for that full amount in favour of Ms Woods. He stated that Acklom would face a further two years in jail if he fails to comply with the order. However, the judge was pessimistic about recovery, noting the chances "pretty much evaporated when he was extradited to Spain."
A Hollow Victory for the Victim
Judge Picton described how Ms Woods was "drawn in by his determination to bleed her dry and deprived of her dignity." He said the only real benefit of the order was that the default jail sentence meant Acklom could never safely return to the UK, potentially sparing other victims.
Speaking to Sky News, Carolyn Woods expressed her profound disappointment with the process. "The whole thing has been a waste of time and only prolonged my distress for another six years," she said. "We have heard that the criminal justice system is unfit for purpose... The criminals must be laughing."
The case highlights the lasting trauma inflicted by romance scams and the challenges victims face in securing financial restitution, even after a conviction is secured.
