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

[QB2022]

He may well have discharged that debt for all we know, he's almost 50, the offences occurred when he was 14.
His record is clean since as far as we know.
If social services have engaged with them and there is no proof they have, just speculation, they may well have deemed him to be fit and capable and a good father.
We do not know that they have or if they have which of the parents was deemed otherwise.
I'm not about to cast further stones at them based upon speculation because I actually care about them.

You aren't able to just pretend it didn't happen for crimes like this. Much like how if we want to enter the USA from here, if we have any form of drug/violent criminal history it's never classed as spent and means we can't.

 

[QB2022]

I find it baffling that a significant sexual assault leading to a 40 year sentence would not be of concern.

 

[infinit]

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

Having a family of your own​

All the time you are on the sex offenders’ register, you stand a good chance of there being some involvement with children’s services if you choose to start a family of your own. Once you come off the register, you should be treated no differently to any other couple looking to start their own family.

If his conviction was in the UK he would be on the sex offender's register for life based on his sentence length, though I don't know how it works with his conviction being in a different country.

 

[Earthwindfire]

I find it baffling that a significant sexual assault leading to a 40 year sentence would not be of concern.

I'm also not sure how it works when someone is convicted overseas and then returns back to the U.K, but if he had remained in America he would still be serving the sentence now. I expect it's possible he could be on some sort of probation over here and subject to certain conditions.

 

[Earthwindfire]

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

If his conviction was in the UK he would be on the sex offender's register for life based on his sentence length, though I don't know how it works with his conviction being in a different country.

Thank you, I was just trying to find a good link to show this.

 

[msmarple99]

Thank you, I was just trying to find a good link to show this.

In which country was his conviction

 

[dotr]

In which country was his conviction

Florida, USA.

FDLE - Sexual Offender and Predator System

 

[Earthwindfire]

In which country was his conviction

USA. In Florida.

 

[kittythehare]

You aren't able to just pretend it didn't happen for crimes like this. Much like how if we want to enter the USA from here, if we have any form of drug/violent criminal history it's never classed as spent and means we can't.

Nobody is pretending it didn't happen but comparing it to US immigration is like comparing apples and onions.
Can you direct me to the relevant social services regulatory body, please?

 

[kittythehare]

It isn't speculation that for a crime of the nature he was convicted of, that U.K. social services would be interested if he was living with any children.

Edited to add that I believe crimes of that nature are never considered discharged or as we refer to them as here, 'spent', when in relation to children.

My post made it clear that the 'spent' I referred to was in relation to his known parenting skills and safety evaluations carried out by social services prior to this birth.
We do not know is my point.

 

[infinit]

Nobody is pretending it didn't happen but comparing it to US immigration is like comparing apples and onions.
Can you direct me to the relevant social services regulatory body, please?

It's my understanding each council has their own department. The main legislation giving them powers is via the Children Act 1989

 

[QB2022]

Nobody is pretending it didn't happen but comparing it to US immigration is like comparing apples and onions.
Can you direct me to the relevant social services regulatory body, please?

We don't have a social services regulatory body. Social workers are registered to Social Work England which is essentially a list and somewhere to complain. All the relevant policy is court up in various pieces of legislature such as Children and Families Act 2014.

It's just very different here to the states which is something I'm not sure is really translating well.

 

[QB2022]

Within family court his criminal history will always be significant as far as children are concerned.

 

[Earthwindfire]

My post made it clear that the 'spent' I referred to was in relation to his known parenting skills and safety evaluations carried out by social services prior to this birth.
We do not know is my point.

I'm not too sure I understand what you mean. But of course we don't know about his parenting skills, however given the circumstances at the very least his parenting skills would be under a great deal of scrutiny.

 

[nicolamonaco]

Her mothers letter was very well written offering her support and love despite her lifestyle choices. I can imagine what Constance has gone through over the last few years has been extremely traumatic for not only her but her family. It seems she has lost her previous children <modsnip> and will do anything to try and keep this one. I really hope she does contact her Mother and gets the help that she needs to get better. I do worry that she probably doesn’t have access to a phone that has internet to be able to read this. An awful situation for everyone involved.

 

[MistyWaters]

<modsnip - quoted post and response were removed>

Constance Marten: estranged father of missing woman urges her to go to police

Aristocrat’s daughter and Mark Gordon, a registered sex offender in the US, and their baby have been missing for 12 days

www.theguardian.com

“Constance Marten was a drama student when she met Gordon in 2016 and led an increasingly isolated life with him, cutting ties with family and friends.”

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Virginie de Selliers pledged to stand by Constance Marten, 35, and her grandchild, telling her: “You are not alone in this situation. We will support you in whatever way we can.”

In the letter, sent to the PA Media news agency by a representative for the family, De Selliers writes: “Open Letter to My Darling Daughter Constance.

“I know you well enough; you are focused, intelligent, passionate and complex with so much to offer the world. So many of your friends have come forward to say such positive things about you, assuring us of their warmest love and support for you and your family.

“You have made choices in your personal adult life which have proven to be challenging, however I respect them, I know that you want to keep your precious new-born child at all costs. With all that you have gone through this baby cannot be removed from you but instead needs looking after in a kind and warm environment.

“I want to help you and my grandchild. You deserve the opportunity to build a new life, establish a stable family and enjoy the same freedoms that most of us have.

“Constance, I will do what I can to stand alongside you and my grandchild. You are not alone in this situation. We will support you in whatever way we can. I am ready to do what it takes for you to recover from this awful experience so you can thrive and enjoy motherhood.

“I love you and miss you, Mum xx.”

Mother of UK woman missing with newborn baby issues open letter

Virginie de Selliers pledges to stand by daughter Constance Marten, who went missing with sex offender boyfriend

www.theguardian.com

 

[Observant-ADHD-ENFP-BSc]

Social services have not been mentioned in any media or police reports.
We are not privy to CM's history or medical records.
This is as it should be.

There is at the present time no open access information regarding what her needs and wants are or whether or not they are currently being fulfilled wherever she is now.

I can speculate that she might need a home, an income, possibly a nanny to help with the baby and help her out in whatever ways she deems necessary or optimal to enable her to keep her baby safely and securely and to include her husband or partner.

I note from the letter that none of these were offered.
I see it as a missed opportunity.

Constance is 35, not a teenager. She may or may not have experience as a mother. if she has, surely the letter could have included an update on her other children? How they are? Whether their return can be facilitated and through what means?

These are practical things and I'm pretty sure that wherever she is and whoever she is with and wherever they are that it is the practicalities of getting by that are her priorities right now.

None of these were addressed.
They could have been.
They were not.
It feels empty and meaningless if not cruel.

Above is my own opinion.

RBBM
This is how I read the letter also. As if they were addressing a runaway school girl with meaningless 'bribes'.
If she is as strong-willed as her mother says in the letter, I feel this will make her more determined NOT to make contact.
JMO

 

[kittythehare]

RBBM
This is how I read the letter also. As if they were addressing a runaway school girl with meaningless 'bribes'.
If she is as strong-willed as her mother says in the letter, I feel this will make her more determined NOT to make contact.
JMO

It would me .
Nothing concrete was offered.
Sending prayers to the little family, hoping they are warm and healthy.

 

[Earthwindfire]

It would me .
Nothing concrete was offered.
Sending prayers to the little family, hoping they are warm and healthy.

Unfortunately the family will have very little control over what happens once she returns. Even if they wanted to offer her exactly what she wants, it isn't their decision to make.

I think the family are well educated so it's unlikely they would have said anything they knew they couldn't (rules on these things are quite well known over here) but if they did write anything they were unable to, the newspapers would redact those parts of the letter.