Couple Jailed for Baby’s Tragic Death on the Run
Constance Marten, 38, and Mark Gordon, 51, have been slammed with 14 years behind bars after their baby daughter Victoria died in a tent on the South Downs in January 2023. The pair were on the run to stop authorities from taking Victoria into care — a fate that had already befallen her four siblings.
Fleeing Justice Before the Tragedy
The couple fled after their car caught fire on the M61 in Greater Manchester on January 5, 2023. Firefighters found nappies, baby clothes, and a placenta in the vehicle, but Marten and Gordon vanished before help arrived. Trail cameras tracked them from Liverpool, then Essex, and finally east London where CCTV spotted them buying a baby buggy in East Ham — the last confirmed sighting of baby Victoria alive.
Body Found in Sussex Shed
Days later, the couple pitched a tent in the South Downs near Newhaven, East Sussex. They were arrested in Brighton on February 27 after a tip-off from a member of the public. Victoria was nowhere to be found.
Her body was later discovered decomposed in a bag inside a nearby shed. The exact cause of death was unclear, but Judge Mark Lucraft KC confirmed she died from hypothermia due to “significant cold stress,” rejecting claims it was a tragic accident.
Dark Past and Harsh Verdict
Mark Gordon’s violent criminal history shocked the court. He served 22 years of a 40-year sentence for rape and aggravated battery and was convicted again in 2017 for attacking police officers at a Welsh maternity unit.
After two six-month trials, the couple were found guilty of manslaughter, child cruelty, concealing a child’s birth, and perverting the course of justice.
“The selfish actions of Mark Gordon and Constance Marten resulted in the death of an innocent newborn baby,” said Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, who led the investigation involving hundreds of officers.
Gordon’s sentence includes an extra four years on extended licence, ensuring he remains behind bars longer.
