On September 15, 2025, the Old Bailey in London became the focal point of a tragic saga that has gripped and unsettled the United Kingdom. Constance Marten, a 38-year-old British aristocrat, and her partner Mark Gordon, 51, a convicted sex offender, were sentenced to 14 years in prison for the gross negligence manslaughter of their newborn daughter, Victoria. Their sentencing, the culmination of two lengthy trials and a nationwide manhunt, marked the end of a harrowing chapter punctuated by secrecy, flight, and ultimately, loss.
The pair’s ordeal began in early January 2023, when police in Bolton, northwestern England, discovered a placenta in a burned-out car registered to Marten and Gordon. According to The Associated Press, this grim find triggered a 53-day search that would span the length of England. The couple, desperate to avoid authorities and social services, spent hundreds of pounds on taxis to avoid leaving a digital trail, all while sleeping rough in a tent on the South Downs during the depths of winter.
Marten, who had already lost custody of her four older children due to concerns for their welfare, gave birth to Victoria in secret on Christmas Eve 2022 in a rented holiday cottage. The couple’s attempt to evade social services led them to a life off-grid, moving from place to place, always looking over their shoulders. CCTV footage captured a fleeting image of baby Victoria, swaddled in a teddy bear motif onesie, as her parents attempted to keep her existence hidden from the world.
Tragically, Victoria’s life was cut short. After seven weeks on the run, Marten and Gordon were arrested in Brighton on February 27, 2023. Two days later, police found Victoria’s decomposed body inside a Lidl shopping bag, hidden beneath rubbish in a disused shed. The discovery brought an agonizing end to the nationwide search and left authorities and the public alike grappling with the enormity of the tragedy.
The court proceedings that followed were fraught with tension and disruption. According to BBC News, Judge Mark Lucraft KC repeatedly admonished the couple for their behavior during sentencing, noting their habit of passing notes and talking in the dock, which he described as showing "a complete lack of respect" for the court. The judge remarked, "It is clear throughout the period neither of you gave much or any thought for the care or love for your baby." He further noted the absence of any genuine expression of remorse from either defendant.
The prosecution, drawing on expert testimony, argued that Victoria had died from hypothermia after being exposed to freezing conditions in the tent where the family had been living. Social workers had previously warned Marten about the dangers of keeping a newborn outside in winter, but the couple insisted Victoria’s death was a "terrible accident," claiming she was accidentally smothered when Marten fell asleep holding her. However, the judge rejected their account, sentencing them on the basis that Victoria died from significant cold stress.
During mitigation, Marten’s barrister, Tom Godfrey, told the court, "The sorrow that Constance Marten feels is incalculable." He emphasized that Marten accepted responsibility for her daughter’s death and would carry the weight of that loss for the rest of her life. Character witnesses, including Marten’s mother, Virginie de Selliers, spoke of her determination and loyalty. "It is my sincere hope that when considering her future, her courage and loyalty and deep sense of fairness are not overlooked," de Selliers wrote in a statement read to the court, as reported by The Independent.
Gordon’s mitigation, presented by barrister Philippa McAtasney KC, focused on the trauma both parents experienced after their previous children were taken into care. McAtasney relayed Gordon’s regret, stating, "He says that the children being taken away affected everything, affected their whole lives, and they were suffering a trauma, and he accepts that poor decisions were made which he very much regrets. He said he will live with this for the remainder of his life."
The couple’s legal troubles were compounded by their courtroom conduct. Both Marten and Gordon disrupted proceedings repeatedly—claiming illness, dental pain, or fatigue from travel, and at times, disrespecting the judge and court officers. During the retrial, Gordon parted ways with his legal team and chose to represent himself, despite lacking any legal training. The judge remarked that he had "never had that sort of attitude" shown to him by any defendant in his 13 years on the bench.
The trials also revealed unsettling details about Gordon’s past. As The Independent and BBC News reported, Gordon was convicted in Florida in 1989 at the age of 14 for rape and aggravated battery, serving 22 years in prison before being deported to the UK. He was later convicted in 2017 of assaulting two female police officers at a maternity unit in Wales, and was suspected of domestic violence in 2019 involving Marten. These revelations, which were not disclosed to jurors during the first trial, painted a fuller picture of the couple’s troubled history.
The legal process itself was protracted and complex. The first trial resulted in convictions for concealing the birth of a child, perverting the course of justice by failing to report Victoria’s death, and child cruelty, but the jury could not agree on the manslaughter charge. A lengthy retrial ended in July 2025 with both defendants found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter. Gordon received an additional four years on extended license due to his criminal history and the severity of the case.
The sentencing brought a measure of closure for law enforcement and prosecutors. Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, speaking after the verdict, said, "We were determined to seek justice for baby Victoria and honor her tragically short life." Chief Crown Prosecutor Jaswant Narwal added, "No child should have had its life cut short in this preventable way. I hope today’s sentences provide a sense of justice and comfort to all those affected by this tragic case."
Yet, the legal proceedings may not be over. In August 2025, the Court of Appeal confirmed it had received an application from Marten seeking to appeal her conviction, according to BBC News. The outcome of that appeal remains uncertain.
The case of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon stands as a chilling reminder of the consequences that can arise when fear, trauma, and mistrust of authorities drive individuals to desperate actions. As the dust settles, the memory of baby Victoria—her brief life and tragic end—will linger as a somber lesson for a nation still searching for answers.
