Introduction
In a case that gripped the United Kingdom and drew
headlines around the world, Constance Marten, a woman born into aristocratic
privilege, and her partner Mark Gordon, a convicted rapist, were found guilty
of the manslaughter of their newborn daughter, Victoria. Their desperate flight
from authorities, the nationwide manhunt that ensued, and the tragic death of
their baby exposed a story of privilege, trauma, and recklessness that ended
with a verdict of gross negligence manslaughter after two lengthy trials.
The Aristocratic Heiress
Constance Marten’s life began in the rarefied world of
British aristocracy. Born in 1987 to Napier Marten and Virginie De Selliers,
she was raised at Crichel House, a grand Georgian mansion in Dorset, surrounded
by 5,000 acres of parkland. Her father served as a page to Queen Elizabeth II,
and her grandmother, Mary Anna Marten, was goddaughter to the Queen Mother. The
family’s connections to royalty and the upper echelons of British society were
deep and longstanding.
Despite this privileged upbringing, Marten described
her childhood as emotionally lacking, and she became estranged from her family
after meeting Mark Gordon. She was educated at St Mary’s Shaftesbury, a
prestigious Catholic girls’ school, and was even named Tatler’s “It Girl” in
2008.
Mark Gordon: A Violent Past
Mark Gordon’s background could not have been more
different. Born in Birmingham, he moved to Florida as a child. At just 14,
Gordon committed a series of violent crimes, including the armed rape of a
neighbor and a brutal home invasion less than a month later. He was sentenced
to 40 years in prison and served 22 years before being deported back to the UK
in 2010.
Gordon’s criminal history haunted his relationship
with Marten. The couple met in 2016 and had four children together, but all
were removed from their care by the Family Courts due to concerns about their
parenting and Gordon’s violent past.
The Flight: A Desperate Bid for Freedom
In December 2022, as Marten was about to give birth to
her fifth child, the couple made the fateful decision to go on the run. Fearing
that social services would take their newborn, as they had their previous
children, Marten and Gordon abandoned their lives and disappeared into the
English winter.
Their car was found abandoned and burned on the M61
near Bolton in January 2023. Inside, police discovered a placenta, revealing
for the first time that Marten had given birth. This discovery triggered a
massive nationwide manhunt, with more than 1,000 police officers involved and
the public urged to report sightings.
The couple traveled across England, avoiding the use
of bank cards and phones to evade detection. CCTV captured them blending into
crowds, traveling by taxi, and eventually heading to the South Downs, where
they camped in freezing conditions.
Life on the Run
Marten and Gordon’s attempt to live “off-grid” was
marked by deprivation and paranoia. They spent thousands of pounds moving from
place to place, but ultimately ended up sleeping in a flimsy tent on the South
Downs. Baby Victoria was born on Christmas Eve 2022 in a rented cottage in
Northumberland, but her short life was marked by exposure to cold, inadequate
shelter, and a lack of proper care.
The couple’s actions were driven by a belief that the
authorities were out to get them, and that their own ideas of parenting should
prevail. They ignored warnings about the dangers of co-sleeping with a baby and
failed to seek help even as conditions became dire.
The Grim Discovery
After 53 days on the run, Marten and Gordon were
finally arrested in Brighton on February 27, 2023, thanks to a tip from a
member of the public who recognized them outside a corner shop. Police swooped
in just six minutes after the call, ending the nationwide search.
The search for baby Victoria, however, ended in
tragedy. Two days after the couple’s arrest, police found her decomposed body
in a Lidl shopping bag, hidden among rubbish in a disused allotment shed. The
scene was grim: the baby’s remains were surrounded by discarded food wrappers,
beer cans, and newspapers.
A post-mortem examination could not determine the
exact cause of death due to the advanced state of decomposition. Possible
causes included hypothermia, smothering during co-sleeping, or breathing
obstruction, but none could be definitively proven.
The Trials: Justice for Victoria
The legal proceedings that followed were complex and
protracted. In their first trial at the Old Bailey, Marten and Gordon were
convicted of perverting the course of justice, concealing the birth of a child,
and child cruelty. However, the jury could not reach a verdict on the
manslaughter charge, leading to a retrial.
In July 2025, after a second trial, both were found
guilty of gross negligence manslaughter. The court heard that their reckless
actions, driven by a selfish desire to keep their baby at all costs, resulted
in Victoria’s death. The prosecution presented CCTV evidence, witness testimony,
and pathological reports showing the extent of their neglect.
Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford of the
Metropolitan Police said, “The selfish actions of Mark Gordon and Constance
Marten resulted in the death of a newborn baby who should have had the rest of
her life ahead of her.” He described the investigation as incredibly
challenging and emotionally taxing for all involved.
The Aftermath: Sentencing and Reflection
Judge Mark Lucraft KC is set to sentence Marten and
Gordon, with both facing lengthy prison terms. The case has sparked national
debate about the failures of social services, the dangers of parental paranoia,
and the tragic consequences of fleeing from help rather than seeking it.
Marten reportedly sank into her chair when the verdict
was read, before holding hands with Gordon in the dock. The couple have been
held in custody since their arrest in March 2023.
A Family Torn Apart
The story of Constance Marten is also one of family
tragedy. Her decision to cut ties with her aristocratic relatives and align
herself with Gordon led to a downward spiral marked by loss, estrangement, and,
ultimately, the death of her child. Her father, Napier Marten, and the rest of
her family watched from afar as her life unraveled in the public eye.
Mark Gordon: The Shadow of Violence
Gordon’s violent history cast a long shadow over the
case. His crimes as a teenager in Florida were recounted in detail during the
trial, painting a picture of a man capable of extreme violence and
manipulation. His relationship with Marten was described as toxic, with
evidence of domestic violence and controlling behavior.
The Public and Media Response
The case attracted intense media scrutiny, with every
development reported in detail. The public followed the manhunt, the discovery
of Victoria’s body, and the trials with a mix of horror and fascination. The
story raised uncomfortable questions about privilege, responsibility, and the
limits of parental rights.
Conclusion: Lessons from a Tragedy
The case of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon is a
cautionary tale about the dangers of isolation, paranoia, and the refusal to
seek help. Despite her privileged background, Marten’s life became defined by
loss and tragedy. Gordon’s violent past and manipulative behavior contributed
to a toxic relationship that ended in the worst possible way.
Baby Victoria’s short life and tragic death serve as a
stark reminder of the consequences of neglect and the importance of
safeguarding vulnerable children. As the nation awaits the sentencing of Marten
and Gordon, the hope is that justice for Victoria will bring some measure of
closure to a case that has shocked and saddened so many.
Key Timeline
|
Date |
Event |
|
Dec 2022 |
Marten and Gordon go on the run as Marten nears birth of fifth
child |
|
Jan 2023 |
Car found abandoned on M61; placenta discovered, triggering
manhunt |
|
Jan–Feb 2023 |
Couple travel across England, evading authorities, camping in
freezing conditions |
|
Feb 27, 2023 |
Marten and Gordon arrested in Brighton |
|
Mar 1, 2023 |
Victoria’s body found in a Lidl bag in a disused shed |
|
2024 |
First trial: convicted of child cruelty, concealing birth,
perverting course of justice |
|
July 2025 |
Second trial: convicted of gross negligence manslaughter |
Statements from Authorities
Detective Superintendent
Lewis Basford: “The justice we have long fought for
has finally been served for baby Victoria. The selfish actions of Mark Gordon
and Constance Marten resulted in the death of a newborn baby who should have
had the rest of her life ahead of her.”
Samantha Yelland, CPS: “Their
reckless actions were driven by a selfish desire to keep their baby no matter
the cost – resulting in her tragic death. These defendants did everything they
could to evade the authorities – from avoiding the use of their bank cards to
the point that they were starving, ditching their phones to avoid being traced
and travelling hundreds of miles daily from place to place to dodge the
police.”
Final Thoughts
The Marten-Gordon case is a heartbreaking example of how privilege, trauma, and poor decisions can intersect with devastating consequences. It is a story that will be remembered as one of the most tragic and shocking in recent British criminal history.
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