Who is Constance Marten? Quick Facts on the Aristocrat's Daughter Jailed for Allowing Newborn Daughter to Die, Her Rapist Partner, And Her Cult Past

Constance Marten, once the daughter of privilege raised in a £100 million estate with royal ties, now faces 14 years in prison for allowing her newborn daughter to die while on the run with her convicted rapist partner, Mark Gordon.

On 12 July 2024, Marten, 38, and Gordon, 51, were found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter over the death of their baby girl, Victoria. The child's decomposing body was found hidden in a rubbish bag in an abandoned shed in Brighton, following a 53-day nationwide manhunt.

From High Society to HMP Bronzefield

Marten was born into wealth and status. Raised at Crichel House in Dorset, she lived on a 5,000-acre estate once featured in a Hollywood film, with eight dining rooms and a ballroom. Her father, Napier Marten, was once a page to Queen Elizabeth II.

Educated at St Mary's Shaftesbury, a £30,000-a-year boarding school, she later earned a degree in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Leeds. She was featured in Tatler magazine in 2009 and worked briefly in journalism before enrolling in acting school.

Despite her privileged upbringing, Marten's life took a dramatic turn after she joined a Christian cult in Nigeria in 2006, aged 19. There, she reportedly experienced forced labour, punishment, and abuse under controversial leader TB Joshua.

The Meeting with Mark Gordon

In 2014, Marten met Gordon in a Tottenham incense shop. Gordon, born in Birmingham, had been deported back to the UK after serving 22 years in a Florida prison for a series of violent crimes, including armed sexual battery committed when he was just 14.

The couple married in an unofficial ceremony in Peru in 2016. Marten later severed ties with her family, citing fears they would 'erase' her children from the family line due to Gordon's criminal past.

By 2023, social services had already removed four of their children. In response, Marten concealed her pregnancy with Victoria, and the couple fled London with £2,000 in cash, burner phones, and their pet cat.

Life on the Run and Baby Victoria's Death

After their car caught fire on the M61 in January 2023, the couple travelled across England by taxi, staying in budget hotels under false names. Eventually, they camped in a tent in the South Downs National Park during freezing winter conditions.

Victoria was born in a rented holiday cottage without medical assistance. Days later, Marten claimed she accidentally fell asleep with the newborn zipped inside her jacket. When she awoke, the baby had died.

Instead of seeking help, they concealed the body in a shopping bag filled with rubbish and carried it for days. Marten later admitted she considered cremating the body using petrol, before abandoning the remains in a shed.

Courtroom Drama and Retrial Delays

Their trial at the Old Bailey was marked by delays, medical complaints, and courtroom outbursts. Marten refused dental treatment and cross-examination, and Gordon, representing himself, cross-examined Marten from the dock.

At one point, Marten revealed Gordon's rape conviction to the jury, risking a mistrial. Both later dismissed their barristers, drawing out proceedings even further.

The prosecution accused them of manipulation, stating they prioritised their relationship over their child's life. The jury was told baby Victoria 'never stood a chance'.

The Cult Connection and Family Estrangement

Marten's father blamed her time at the Synagogue, Church of All Nations in Lagos as a turning point in her life. She had stayed for months, allegedly enduring harsh conditions and psychological manipulation.

Upon returning to the UK, she became increasingly distant from her family, eventually cutting ties completely. She claimed she was trailed by private investigators hired by relatives, particularly during a dispute over the sale of Crichel House in 2013 for £34 million (approximately $44 million).

During the trial, Marten argued she acted out of fear of social services, believing her children were unsafe in care. She claimed her actions were motivated by love, not malice.

Sentence and Aftermath

On 12 September 2025, Marten and Gordon were sentenced to 14 years in prison. Authorities were unable to determine an exact cause of Victoria's death. But the court concluded that the couple's grossly negligent conduct directly led to her preventable death, sealing their fate.