A court has mandated a fraudster to return £125,000 to his victim following a lengthy legal process.
Mark Acklom deceived Carolyn Woods by falsely presenting himself as an MI6 operative and property developer, leading to the loss of her savings in 2012.
In 2019, Acklom admitted to fraud charges involving £300,000, though Woods asserts her actual losses were around £850,000. Bristol Crown Court recently determined his criminal gains totaled £710,000.
Judge Martin Picton stated, "Carolyn Woods was drawn into his realm of fantasy and deceit from which she was unable to escape. He deprived her of that money as well as her dignity and psychological wellbeing."
Acklom, previously convicted of fraud internationally and once on the UK's most wanted list, must repay available funds from defrauding Woods.
Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, he has three months to comply or face an additional two-year prison term if he returns to the UK. Currently residing in Spain, he faces another confiscation order there.
Judge Picton expressed skepticism about repayment but noted it should "be a comfort to Ms Woods" that Acklom "is effectively unable to return to this country because of the consequences he would face."
Further repayments may be required if future assets are discovered.
After the hearing, Woods told the BBC she was "relieved" this "had drawn a line under it," but criticized the justice system as "not fit for purpose," adding "at every step of the way something has gone wrong."
Recovery efforts under POCA began after his 2019 guilty plea, with multiple delayed hearings at Bristol Crown Court.
Acklom attempted to remove Judge Picton, alleging unfairness, and claimed insufficient document access for his defense—claims dismissed as "childish" by prosecutors.
He attended most hearings via video link and did not speak before the order was issued. An adjournment request citing his wife's health was denied.
Andrew Kerrigan, a Crown Prosecution Service specialist, called Acklom "a calculating persistent fraudster," vowing to "disrupt and deter fraudsters like Acklom."
Dr Amber Phillips, a criminology expert, commented on POCA, saying it's "much maligned" but has achieved "pretty good results," noting "offering victims a means of getting some money back post-fraud is obviously a fantastic option."
She acknowledged financial investigations are "a complicated business" due to asset concealment, requiring thorough, time-consuming processes.
The Home Office reported £47.2 million in victim compensation via confiscation orders for the year ending March 2025, a 165% increase, with amounts fluctuating based on case recoveries.
