Mark Acklom, a name notorious in British criminal history, is once again at the center of legal proceedings—though this time, he will not be seen in the courtroom. The 52-year-old serial fraudster, who conned his ex-girlfriend Carolyn Woods out of £300,000 by posing as a Swiss banker and MI6 agent, will attend his upcoming confiscation hearing remotely from Spain, rather than appearing in person at Bristol Crown Court. The two-day hearing, scheduled for December 18 and 19, 2025, will be presided over by Judge Martin Picton, the same judge who sentenced Acklom in 2019 for his elaborate deception.
Acklom’s story is one of audacity and manipulation. According to BBC, the fraud began in 2012 when Acklom walked into Woods’ boutique in Gloucestershire, claiming he was in the UK to purchase an airfield in the Cotswolds. Over the course of a year-long relationship, he convinced Woods, a mother-of-two in her 60s, that he was a wealthy financier and an undercover MI6 operative. He promised her marriage, boasted of friendships with celebrities like Nicky Clarke and Chris Evans, and even claimed to have spoken with Hillary Clinton and known fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld. All the while, Acklom was already married and orchestrating a sophisticated romance scam that would strip Woods of her life savings.
The scale and brazenness of Acklom’s fraud did not end with Woods. As reported by the Daily Mail, his criminal history stretches back to 1991, when at just 16 years old, he received a four-year custodial sentence for a £466,000 mortgage fraud after posing as a City stockbroker. He also spent £11,000 on his father’s stolen credit card, defrauded a former teacher of £13,000, and racked up a £34,000 bill with a private charter jet company. The British press has long described Acklom as one of the country’s most prolific conmen—a reputation that, sadly, is well-earned.
Despite his 2019 conviction for five counts of fraud against Woods, Acklom’s legal saga has been anything but straightforward. After being jailed in the UK for five years and eight months, Acklom fled the country in 2016 while on temporary release during an appeal against a separate three-year fraud sentence. He resurfaced in Switzerland, from where he was extradited back to the UK in 2019. But the game of international cat-and-mouse continued: in 2021, Acklom was extradited to Spain, where he served a further two years in prison before his release in 2023. Since then, he has been living with his wife and two children in an undisclosed location in Spain, as confirmed by multiple outlets including the Press Association.
The upcoming confiscation hearing is the latest chapter in prosecutors’ efforts to recover the money stolen from Woods. Using the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), authorities have spent the past five years holding a series of hearings at Bristol Crown Court to determine Acklom’s criminal benefit and available assets. According to UK financial investigators, Acklom currently has available funds of almost £262,000. Meanwhile, Spanish authorities have issued confiscation orders against him valued at €374,000 (approximately £325,000), as reported by both the Daily Mail and the Press Association.
The December hearing is expected to feature testimony from several witnesses, including a financial investigator, as the court seeks to close the book on the financial side of Acklom’s crimes. Judge Picton, who has been involved in the case since Acklom’s original sentencing, recently presided over a preliminary video hearing on October 7, 2025. Acklom, appearing via video link but not visible on screen, spoke only to confirm his presence, replying, “Yes sir” when prompted by the court clerk, according to the Press Association.
Judge Picton inquired whether Acklom would attend the final hearing in person. Martin Sharpe, representing Acklom, clarified, “He will attend remotely in the same way he has done today but with the benefit of a screen. He will attend from a video conference room at a legal firm. I don’t have the specifics to hand as of yet but your honour and the prosecution can be assured that the defendant will attend but he will attend remotely.” Fiona Jackson, prosecuting, requested that details of Acklom’s arrangements be provided to the court and the Crown Prosecution Service by October 31, a request granted by Judge Picton.
The decision to allow Acklom to attend remotely has sparked debate about the challenges of holding white-collar criminals to account when they are no longer resident in the UK. Some legal experts point out that remote attendance, while practical in cross-border cases, can undermine the gravity of proceedings and the sense of justice for victims like Woods. Others argue that the law must adapt to a world where international movement is common, and digital hearings are now the norm in many jurisdictions.
For Carolyn Woods, the case has been a long and painful ordeal. She met Acklom under the guise of a simple business transaction—a jacket purchase that spiraled into a devastating personal and financial betrayal. The romance fraud, which began in 2012, left her not only without her savings but also with a sense of deep mistrust. As she told the court during previous hearings, Acklom “destroyed” her life by exploiting her trust and affection. Her story has become emblematic of the dangers posed by sophisticated romance fraudsters, whose tactics grow more elaborate each year.
Meanwhile, Acklom’s family life in Spain remains shrouded in secrecy. Despite multiple attempts by journalists to ascertain his exact whereabouts, his location is closely guarded. He is said to be living with his wife and two children, maintaining a low profile since his release from Spanish prison in 2023. The extradition saga—first from Switzerland to the UK, then from the UK to Spain—highlights the complexities of prosecuting international fraudsters, particularly those with connections and resources that allow them to cross borders with relative ease.
The December confiscation hearing will be a pivotal moment, not only for Woods but for the broader effort to deter financial crime. The court will hear from a financial investigator and other witnesses as it seeks to determine how much, if any, of Woods’ stolen money can be recovered. The Proceeds of Crime Act, designed to strip criminals of their illicit gains, will be put to the test against a man who has spent decades perfecting the art of deception.
As the date approaches, all eyes will be on Bristol Crown Court—and on the video screen, where Mark Acklom, ever the elusive figure, will appear from afar. Whether justice will finally catch up to one of Britain’s most infamous fraudsters remains to be seen, but for Carolyn Woods and others like her, the hope is that this chapter will bring some measure of closure.
