Conman will not attend confiscation hearing in person

A NOTORIOUS British fraudster who was jailed in the UK after conning an ex-girlfriend out of £300,000 will not attend court in person for his confiscation hearing.

- CLAIRE HAYHURST

Left, Carolyn Woods arriving at Bri

Mark Acklom, 52, previously admitted five counts of fraud against Carolyn Woods, from Gloucestershire, and was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison in 2019.

He was extradited to Spain in 2021 - having fled the country in 2016 during a fraud sentence - and served a further two years in prison before his release in 2023.

Since his guilty pleas in England, prosecutors have been using Proceeds of Crime Act (Poca) legislation in an attempt to recover the money stolen from Ms Woods.

During their relationship, Acklom posed as a Swiss banker and an MI6 agent.

Over the past five years, there have been a series of hearings at Bristol Crown Court to establish Acklom's criminal benefit and available assets.