Recovered/Located UK - Constance Marten & Mark Gordon & Newborn, left a broken down car on motorway, Bolton Greater Manchester, 5 Jan 2023

[JumpingFrog]

yes I agree with this scenario. Wonder why they didn't leave the country sooner ,unless the birth was premature maybe ?

I wouldn't leave a country my children were living in, whether they were in care or adopted. Pregnancy hormones would make my connection to them even heightened. Imho.

 

[Seli]

perhaps they were not aware of his past? Maybe CM wasn't either. But if she did know and If they were keeping the pregnancy a secret and evading social services I wonder why they they didn't go abroad or settle somewhere they were unknown before the birth. Would someone on the SO register have to check in with probation services periodically

Not with probation but an RSO he needs to report change of address to the police within 72 hours.

Information: Sex offence notification requirements - Unlock

Aim of this page This information is designed to provide specific information around convictions for sexual offences in particular, details of notification requirements, more commonly referred to as the sex offenders’ register. Why is this important? There are many misconceptions about sexual...

unlock.org.uk

He may not have a passport or ID and would have to notify police of foreign travel in any case.

As he only served half his sentence in the US I'm not sure if when he was returned here if there would be any requirement to report to probation but given the state of public services it's quite possible he's slipped through the net. Also when probation was privatised in 2015 his risk level may have been re-assessed and ended up with very loose reporting requirements.

 

[jackal67]

Not sure if im allowed to post it but there is all the info here on your question:

Information: Relationships, children and dealing with social services - Unlock

Aim of this page This information is designed to set out what you may need to consider if you have been convicted of a sexual offence and are looking to start a new relationship. It also looks at how social services may become involved in any new or existing relationship. Why is this important...

unlock.org.uk

Thanks.v interestI g read

 

[sunshineray]

The statement baffled me. As far as we know she hasnt done anything wrong ? Making her sound like a criminal!

I agree, it does. That's what made me ask.

 

[jackal67]

So glad to see this and hope CM sees it too.

really hope so too and that she <modsnip - not victim friendly> accepts her family's help now

 

[JumpingFrog]

really hope so too and that she <modsnip - not victim friendly> accepts her family's help now

Gosh I really hope so, and tbf I hope that MG will be okay and supported too. His own mum has come out today in support of his character you know?

 

[jackal67]

The statement baffled me. As far as we know she hasnt done anything wrong ? Making her sound like a criminal!

interesting that he says 'to see you so vulnerable again ' which suggests that this is not the first crisis she has been through.

 

[dotr]

rbbm.

Missing Dorset aristocrat's father pleads with her to contact police

The father of a Dorset aristocrat missing with her newborn and partner has told of the family's pain as he urged her to contact police.

www.bridportnews.co.uk

''In an audio appeal, made through The Independent, Mr Marten said while he remains estranged from his "darling" daughter, his family is willing to "do whatever is necessary for your safe return to us".
He said the family has lived "in great concern", knowing of Mr Gordon's past, "for some time".
....

"We are deeply concerned for your and your baby's welfare. The past eight years have been beyond painful for all the family as well as your friends, as they must have been for you, and to see you so vulnerable again is testing in the extreme."
Mr Marten thanked the police for "all their endeavours in bringing this tragic episode to a swift and safe conclusion" as he repeated his appeal for his daughter to "find the courage to present yourself to the police as soon as possible".

Jan 19 2023

 

[shadwell]

Not really sure how effective an appeal from her father will be if they haven’t spoken in eight years.

 

[Sarahlou]

And his mother says they secretly got married in this article
Aristocrat plea to missing daughter who vanished with rapist boyfriend

A good boy! Give me strength.
But I really hope Constance and her baby are found safe soon. This is a strange case.

 

[Telltale]

<modsnip: off topic>

We have to agree that what M told C about his past, she has accepted and she has stayed with him, she's loyal to him and she's had children by him.

To be honest. He could have admitted to her that his actions were fully what his charges suggest and from a British POV a sentence like that seems barbaric. <modsnip>

Unfortunately though, whatever the circumstances of the original crime, growing up in the 90s in Florida's prison system is not a place where people tend to learn how to have healthy, mutually respectful, non-violent relationships.

He might grown into a damaged but decent enough man who was deeply regretful and just wanted to start over. Who found a woman in an unstable part of her own life he wanted to help and who in turn accepted his past, despite the pushback from her own family. However, he was 14/15 when he went in, if he didn't come out with PTSD, a hair trigger response to violence, with control meaning safety/security and a boatload of other untreated mental health, anger and attachment issues... well he would be one of the few.

With the best will in the world, that tends to bleed into a romantic relationship. Especially if she has her own mental health/addiction etc issues. Then add eight years of becoming more and more isolated... as (speculatively) they - in their eyes - continued to be victimised by society, social services and a system who keeps taking their babies away for a crime he did at 14.

So yeah TLDR, even without making him an explicit DV villain. Their past can seem sad and unfair, their motivation deeply sympathetic and complicated by mental health and trauma... and still the situation can be domestically violent, unstable, controlling and very dangerous for children.

Unfortunately, there is a days old baby in the middle of it and any hypothetical sympathy for their situation comes second to babies safety and health.

 

[Teeniesmum]

What I am saying is that they will need to go out to buy these items, plus food and drink for themselves.

ah yes I get what you mean, lets hope someone somewhere spots them.

 

[JumpingFrog]

<modsnip>

To be honest. He could have admitted to her that his actions were fully what his charges suggest and from a British point of view a sentence like that would be considered barbaric considering his age. <modsnip>

Unfortunately though, growing up in the 90s in Florida's (likely adult) prison system is not a place where people tend to learn how to have healthy, mutually respectful, non-violent relationships.

He may well have grown into a decent enough man who did what he had to to survive inside, got out and just wanted to start over. Who found a woman in an unstable part of her own life he wanted to help. It must have been like finding a princess, who in turn accepted his past and him, sticking by him despite likely serious pushback from her own family.

However, considering how young he was when he went in, if he didn't come out with PTSD, a hair trigger response to violence and a boatload of other untreated mental health and attachment issues he would be one of the few. With the best will in the world that history tends to bleed into a romantic relationship. Especially if she has her own mental health etc issues and they have become more and more isolated as (in their eyes) they're continued to be victimised by society, social services and a system who keeps taking their babies away for a crime he did at 14.
So yeah tldr, their situation can be sad, unfair, violent, unstable and dangerous all at the same time. Unfortunately there is a days old baby in the middle of it and their story comes second to babies safety and health.

*pretty sure thats where they went from his trial records

A really well written post, thank you

 

[Springplease]

<modsnip>

To be honest. He could have admitted to her that his actions were fully what his charges suggest and from a British POV a sentence like that seems barbaric. <modsnip>


Unfortunately though, whatever the circumstances of the original crime, growing up in the 90s in Florida's prison system is not a place where people tend to learn how to have healthy, mutually respectful, non-violent relationships.

He might grown into a damaged but decent enough man who was deeply regretful and just wanted to start over. Who found a woman in an unstable part of her own life he wanted to help and who in turn accepted his past, despite the pushback from her own family. However, he was 14/15 when he went in, if he didn't come out with PTSD, a hair trigger response to violence, with control meaning safety/security and a boatload of other untreated mental health, anger and attachment issues... well he would be one of the few.

With the best will in the world, that tends to bleed into a romantic relationship. Especially if she has her own mental health/addiction etc issues. Then add eight years of becoming more and more isolated... as (speculatively) they - in their eyes - continued to be victimised by society, social services and a system who keeps taking their babies away for a crime he did at 14.

So yeah TLDR, even without making him an explicit DV villain. Their past can seem sad and unfair, their motivation deeply sympathetic and complicated by mental health and trauma... and still the situation can be domestically violent, unstable, controlling and very dangerous for children.

Unfortunately, there is a days old baby in the middle of it and any hypothetical sympathy for their situation comes second to babies safety and health.

very well balanced response I agree With you.

 

[porkypies]

Yes, I agree. One might be forgiven for thinking that they were terrorists on the run with reportedly 200 (!!!) Met Police officers working tha case, according to some media.
Could that number really be correct???

I wonder where were they going to/from when the car burned, and if it hadn't burned...would the police be looking for them now - and why?
Were they already wanted?

 

[sunnynz]

as much as I’m disgusted by MG’s crimes - in websleuths land he is still classed as a victim for this particular case. He is currently a missing person. Until that changes (if for example he was sought for arrest), IMO we need to be victim friendly and maybe not say everything we might be thinking!

 

[wizardizzo76]

One of CM friends has now spoken out. It may just be tittle tattle and is entirely an opinion piece, but I haven't seen it shared yet. Friend of Constance Marten ‘warned’ her about falling in love with dangerous men

 

[Kelly C]

The nature of his crime and how he held the victim hostage whilst her children were asleep is now revealed. It’s all coming out bit by bit now. Taken from Daily Mail article just released:

Constance Marten, 35, is missing with newborn baby and partner Mark Gordon

• Friends say she cut off contact with all friends and family after meeting Gordon
• Pair first spotted in Lancashire shortly after leaving car bought six days earlier
• Gordon is a sex offender with previous convictions for kidnapping in the US
• He sexually assaulted and held a woman hostage while her children were asleep

REVEALED: How missing sex offender sexually assaulted hostage at 14


REVEALED: How missing sex offender sexually assaulted hostage at 14

 

[FruitTingles]

The nature of his crime and how he held the victim hostage whilst her children were asleep is now revealed. It’s all coming out bit by bit now. Taken from Daily Mail article just released:

Constance Marten, 35, is missing with newborn baby and partner Mark Gordon

• Friends say she cut off contact with all friends and family after meeting Gordon
• Pair first spotted in Lancashire shortly after leaving car bought six days earlier
• Gordon is a sex offender with previous convictions for kidnapping in the US
• He sexually assaulted and held a woman hostage while her children were asleep

REVEALED: How missing sex offender sexually assaulted hostage at 14


REVEALED: How missing sex offender sexually assaulted hostage at 14

Horrific. Truly horrific.

 

[Telltale]

Horrific. Truly horrific.

Well <modsnip> that blows my gang theory right out the water. Also shouldn't assume armed crime in Florida = gun.

<modsnip> I knew when I was writing paragraphs about nuance, context and juvenile offending - This is gonna come back to bite me in the <modsnip>, now it's garenteed to turn out he was straight up budding psycho.

What on earth was wrong with that kid? Well I am guessing nothing that 20 years in Florida Prisons did anything to improve.

This speaks to, worryingly, a sex motivated break-in over a burglary that turned to rape. The second break in also seems unnecessarily violent and motivated by more than what was needed to do the house over. Now I don't know what his psych evaluations concluded, or any mitigation put forward by his defence, but on the face this is more concerning than if he got tangled up in gangs as a kid.

It would be interesting to know what his psych showed, his record was like in prison, and his evaluation and risk gradings on release/return. You would hope he'd have been made to spend those 20 years in intense therapy and rehabilitation - over kicking him around a brutal penal system, removing any chance of developing natural healthy relationships with women and adding some fun new trauma on top before booting him out to deal with 2010. Its probably gonna be the second one though isn't it.

<modsnip>