Runaway UK Couple Found Guilty After Baby Dies in Tent: The Tragic Case of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon
A wealthy British woman and her partner with a violent past have been found guilty of killing their baby daughter after going on the run across the UK. The couple, Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, lived in a tent during winter and refused help from authorities. Their newborn, Victoria, died while in their care — and her body was later found in a grocery bag inside a shed.
This heartbreaking case has shocked the UK and raised serious questions about child protection, domestic violence, and how far people will go to avoid the system.
A Troubled Couple on the Run
Constance Marten, 38, came from a wealthy, aristocratic family. She was privately educated, worked as a journalist, and once had ties to the British royal family. Mark Gordon, 51, had a very different background — he was a convicted rapist with a long criminal history, including armed kidnapping and sexual battery in the U.S., for which he served 22 years in prison.
Despite warnings from child protection services and a history of domestic violence, the couple stayed together. A judge had already taken their four older children into care due to serious concerns about their safety. But instead of accepting help when Marten became pregnant again, the couple decided to disappear.
A Desperate Journey Ends in Tragedy
In January 2023, police found a burned-out car with signs that someone had recently given birth nearby. That discovery sparked a 53-day nationwide search for Marten, Gordon, and their baby. During that time, the couple traveled by taxi across England, avoiding authorities, throwing away phones, and refusing to use their bank cards.
They were eventually seen living in a tent in freezing temperatures near Brighton. Social workers had previously warned them that it was unsafe to keep a baby in a tent, but they continued anyway. On February 27, the couple were finally arrested in a store. Baby Victoria was not with them.
Two days later, police found her body hidden in a shed. She had likely died weeks earlier, though the exact cause of death is unknown. A pathologist said she had been exposed to cold and was not properly dressed.
Found Guilty of Manslaughter
This week, after two separate trials, Marten and Gordon were found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter. They had already been convicted of child cruelty charges in 2024. Both had acted in ways that put their child at serious risk, even though they had opportunities to seek help.
“Their reckless actions were driven by a selfish desire to keep their baby no matter the cost,” said Samantha Yelland of the Crown Prosecution Service. “The result was her tragic death.”
Court officials described their behavior throughout the trial as disruptive. Marten went through 14 different lawyers. Gordon tried to represent himself at one point. Both frequently refused to appear in court or cooperate with proceedings.
A Preventable Death
Detectives and prosecutors said this was a deeply sad and avoidable case. “There was ample opportunity for them to have sought help,” said Det. Insp. Dave Sinclair, the officer who first responded to the case. “And potentially there may have been a different outcome.”
The couple will be sentenced later this year.
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