In a gripping and tragic case that has captivated the nation, Constance Marten, 38, and Mark Gordon, 51, have been found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter in the death of their newborn daughter, Victoria. The verdict was delivered on Monday, July 14, 2025, following a lengthy and tumultuous retrial at London's Old Bailey, ending a saga that began more than two years ago with a nationwide manhunt and a heartbreaking search for answers.
The case unfolded dramatically after a Peugeot car burst into flames on January 5, 2023, on the M61 motorway near Bolton, Greater Manchester. Inside the burnt-out vehicle, police found Marten's passport alongside evidence of a recent birth, including blood and a placenta. This discovery triggered a "high risk missing persons investigation" as the couple vanished with their newborn, sparking concern about the child's safety and whereabouts.
Using nearly £50,000 withdrawn from Marten’s trust fund, the couple embarked on a frantic journey across England. They traveled from Liverpool to Essex, London, and East Sussex, often evading authorities by hiding their faces or wearing facemasks near CCTV cameras. Their survival tactics became increasingly desperate; Gordon was spotted purchasing camping equipment in east London, heightening fears that they were camping outdoors with their fragile infant in the dead of winter.
For 53 days, the couple remained elusive, living off-grid under harsh conditions. Their four older children had previously been taken into care by social services, a decision Marten vehemently opposed, describing it as an "absolute outrage" and claiming the children had been "stolen by the state." The couple's motivation to keep Victoria with them at all costs was clear, but tragically misguided.
The nationwide manhunt ended on February 27, 2023, when police apprehended Marten and Gordon in a Brighton suburb. However, the relief was short-lived. Two days later, officers discovered Victoria's decomposed remains in a Lidl carrier bag stuffed with rubbish inside a disused allotment shed nearby. The baby's body was so badly decomposed that pathologists could not determine the exact cause of death. Prosecutors argued that Victoria died from hypothermia or was smothered while co-sleeping in a thin, flimsy tent in the cold, damp, and windy conditions of the South Downs in January 2023.
During the trial, the prosecution painted a grim picture of the couple's neglect. They highlighted how Victoria had been exposed to "substantial cold stress" with inadequate clothing and shelter, and how the parents' "reckless, utterly selfish and callous" actions deprived her of warmth, food, and safety. CCTV footage showed the couple scavenging through bins for food despite Marten having thousands of pounds in a trust fund and £19,000 in the bank.
Throughout the proceedings, Marten and Gordon denied manslaughter charges, insisting Victoria's death was a tragic accident after Marten fell asleep holding her. Marten tearfully told the jury she "did nothing but love" her baby and had "given her the best that any mother would." She expressed shock and grief, revealing that the couple even contemplated suicide in their desperation. Marten also admitted to carrying Victoria's body in a carrier bag while on the run, wrapping her in a black headscarf before placing her in the bag.
The couple’s courtroom behavior was notably disruptive and chaotic. They refused to stand during the verdict, with Marten shaking her head and later shouting, "It’s a scam," from the dock. Gordon, who represented himself after his legal team withdrew, cross-examined Marten in court and described the trial as "unfair," vowing to "win on appeal." The judge at the retrial, Mark Lucraft KC, remarked on their disrespectful conduct and the numerous delays they caused, noting he had "never had that sort of attitude" in his 13 years as a full-time judge.
Additional revelations during the trial shocked jurors and the public alike. Gordon's violent past came under scrutiny, with details emerging of his 1989 conviction in Florida for raping a woman at knifepoint when he was just 14 years old. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison, served 22, and was deported back to the UK. Marten had met Gordon in 2014, breaking ties with her privileged family, and the couple married unofficially in Peru two years later. In court, Marten accused her own family of prejudice against Gordon due to his race and claimed they had hired private detectives to surveil her.
Further disturbing details included Gordon’s 2017 conviction for assaulting two female police officers at a maternity unit in Wales, and suspicion of domestic violence in 2019 that left Marten with a shattered spleen. During that incident, Gordon allegedly refused paramedics entry to their London flat despite Marten being 14 weeks pregnant, and Marten spent eight days in hospital. Following this, social services removed their other four children from their care.
Despite the couple’s efforts to conceal Marten's fifth pregnancy, she gave birth in secret in a hired holiday cottage on Christmas Eve 2022. Their attempts to hide Victoria culminated in the frantic cross-country escape after their car fire, with Victoria often hidden under Marten’s jacket or in a shopping bag. The prosecution argued this concealment and neglect ultimately led to Victoria's death.
Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who led the investigation, emphasized the avoidable nature of Victoria’s death, stating, "She should have recently celebrated her second birthday, but this was snatched away by the very people who should’ve protected and cared for her." He condemned the parents' actions as "selfish" and praised the persistence of the police and prosecution despite the defendants’ attempts to disrupt two trials.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Samantha Yelland reflected on the long journey to justice, affirming that "justice has been done" for Victoria. The couple are scheduled to be sentenced on September 15, 2025.
This tragic case has raised profound questions about parental responsibility, the failures of social services, and the lengths to which some will go to evade authorities. It starkly reminds us of the vulnerability of children and the devastating consequences when those entrusted with their care fail spectacularly.
