Disappearance of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon are a British couple who were missing from 5 January 2023, when their car was found abandoned and on fire near Bolton, to 27 February 2023, when they were arrested in Brighton. They went missing with their newborn baby, who was believed to have been born a few days before they went missing. However, when the couple were arrested, they were not with their baby, which triggered a huge search for it, involving over 200 police officers across an area of around 90 sq mi (230 km2) from Brighton to Newhaven.

Disappearance of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon
The memorial made by locals in tribute to the deceased baby.
Date5 January – 1 March 2023 (2023-01-05 – 2023-03-01)
Duration55 days
LocationBolton and Brighton, England
Deaths1
Arrests2

A baby's remains were found on 1 March 2023 in a bag in a shed on an allotment near where the couple were arrested.

Background

Constance Marten was born into an aristocratic family in 1987 and grew up in Crichel House in Dorset.[1] She became estranged from her family in response to her beginning a relationship with Gordon in 2016 whilst Marten was a drama student.[1]

Mark Gordon was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, in 1974, but moved to Florida, United States, with his mother when he was young.[2] In 1989, aged 14, he broke into a neighbour's property and raped her at knifepoint.[3] He was found guilty of "one count of armed kidnapping, four separate counts of armed sexual battery and one count of burglary with a deadly weapon".[3] He served 20 years in prison before being deported back to the UK in 2010.[2]

The couple were sought by police from 5 January 2023, when their car was found abandoned and on fire next to the M61 motorway in Bolton, Greater Manchester.[1] Evidence was discovered that Marten had given birth several days before. The couple then travelled by taxis to Liverpool, then Harwich in Essex, then London and finally to Brighton on 8 January.[1]

More than 100 officers of the Metropolitan Police were involved in the initial search, assisted by the National Crime Agency.[4]

After the couple were found without their baby on 27 February, an extensive search encompassing around 90 sq mi (230 km2) of land from Brighton to Newhaven involving over 200 officers, helicopters, sniffer dogs, drones and thermal cameras took place.[5][6] A baby's remains were found almost 48 hours after the search began, having been wrapped in a plastic bag and hidden inside a shed on an allotment.[7]

Arrest

The couple were found and arrested in Hollingbury, Brighton, on 27 February.[1] On 1 March, the remains of a baby believed to be theirs and to have died weeks earlier was found.[1] It was revealed on 3 March that the baby had been wrapped in a plastic bag and hidden inside a shed on an allotment near to where the couple were arrested.[7]

On 3 March, the couple appeared before Crawley Magistrates' Court, charged with manslaughter, concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice.[8] During the court appearance, it was revealed that their baby was a girl named Victoria.[9] They were both remanded in custody, and appeared at Central London's Old Bailey on 31 March.[10] The couple are due to stand trial in January 2024. [11]

Reactions

On 2 March at 6 p.m., a candlelight vigil was held for baby Victoria at St Mary Magdalene's Church in Coldean, Brighton .[12]

A spontaneous memorial was made on the corner between Stanmer Villas and Golf Drive, near to where Victoria was found.[13]

See also

References
  1. France, Anthony; Burrell, Miriam (2 March 2023). "Missing baby 'dead for several weeks' before discovery, say police". Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  2. Adams, Zoe (2 March 2023). "Who is Mark Gordon? Age, crimes and family background revealed". LBC News. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  3. Kingsley, Thomas (23 January 2023). "Convicted rapist Mark Gordon's sex crimes revealed". Independent. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  4. Kingsley, Thomas (23 January 2023). "Missing aristocrat and boyfriend could be overseas with baby, ex-police chief says". Independent. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  5. Seddon, Sean; Adams, Charley (1 March 2023). "Constance Marten arrest: Police continue questioning after baby found". BBC News. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  6. Hughes, Lorna; Manning, Jonathon (3 March 2023). "Brighton police investigation continues after baby remains found - updates". SussexLive. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  7. Sawer, Patrick (3 March 2023). "Baby's body found in plastic bag in shed during search for Constance Marten's newborn". The Telegraph. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  8. Dugan, Emily (3 March 2023). "Constance Marten and Mark Gordon remanded in custody over death of baby Victoria". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  9. "Constance Marten and Mark Gordon in court charged with manslaughter of baby girl called Victoria". Sky News. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  10. Adams, Charley (3 March 2023). "Constance Marten and Mark Gordon in court over baby Victoria manslaughter charge". BBC News. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  11. Seddon, Sean (3 April 2023). "Constance Marten and Mark Gordon: Couple to stand trial over baby's death". BBC News. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  12. "Candlelit vigil held for baby whose remains were found in Brighton woodland". ITV News. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  13. Gardner, Andrew (3 March 2023). "Constance Marten: Brighton residents gather for vigil to remember baby". The Argus. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
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