Romeo ‘spy’ stole my £850k savings and left me suicidal
A NOTORIOUS conman is on the run after posing as an MI6 spy to allegedly trick a divorcee out of £850,000.
Carolyn Woods, 55, says Mark Acklom had offered to marry her – but vanished with her savings instead.
She called in police who initially traced Acklom, 43, to Spain, where he was on trial for property fraud.
After being jailed for conning two brothers out of £200,000, he was freed in March this year.
In June Avon and Somerset Police obtained a European arrest warrant for the alleged fraud on Mrs Woods.
Acklom was yesterday named among the top 10 most wanted British criminals hiding in Spain. The Crimestoppers list includes Jamie Acourt, a suspect in the murder of black London teenager Stephen Lawrence.
Mother-of-two Mrs Woods met Acklom when he bought a jacket at her boutique in Bath in 2012.
She said he left her financially ruined and suicidal. She said: “He was flirtatious, charming and very entertaining. He has a great presence and charisma.
“One of the most extraordinary things he told me was that he was an MI6 agent. It sounds far-fetched but he convinced me it was true.”
She offered to lend him money as he was temporarily broke. She said: “In the end I lent him everything I had.
“He said he’d never felt this way about anyone and we must get married. I’ve still got the wedding dress. It was all a charade. I was suicidal.” Carolyn Woods on TV yesterday, right. She says that Mark Acklom, left, wanted to marry her, before vanishing with her savings