In a case that continues to shock the UK, the heartbreaking story of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon has taken another deeply troubling turn.
Though the couple fought to present themselves as loving, devoted parents, the courts and social services uncovered a much darker, more disturbing reality—one defined by deceit, violence, and a baffling refusal to accept help.
The Public Persona Versus the Private Truth
During her time on the stand at the Old Bailey, Marten clung to the belief that she and Gordon were good parents.
She insisted she would do anything for her children and blamed everyone else—from her wealthy family to social services—for the loss of their kids.
But documents from the Family Court, revealed for the first time after a legal push by journalists, tell a very different story.
These files, spanning over 100 pages, highlight how the authorities went to great lengths to work with the couple.
But time and time again, Marten and Gordon ignored court hearings, gave false information, and accused others of lying.
Judges repeatedly expressed concern that the children were exposed to serious domestic violence, putting their safety at risk.
A Life Lived in Denial and Secrecy
Judge Madeleine Reardon, who presided over the Family Court hearings, explained that the couple’s decision to live off-grid was rooted in their unwillingness to cooperate.
She noted Marten’s tendency to distort events, such as downplaying a serious fall from a window while pregnant—injuries which the court determined had been caused by Gordon.
Marten also accused her family of colluding with social workers, claiming they spread outrageous lies, including that she was a drug addict selling babies.
Judge Reardon firmly stated that none of these wild allegations had any relevance to the court’s actual findings.
A Dangerous Relationship That Shaped Everything
According to the court documents, Marten and Gordon saw all outside help as a threat to their bond.
They were described as being united in an irrational struggle against imaginary enemies, and their resistance to support had grave consequences for their children.
From their first child’s birth in a campervan to later pregnancies concealed from authorities, their behavior was described as evasive, erratic, and dangerous.
Marten used false names and accents to mislead social workers, while the couple often lived in tents or temporary shelters in unsafe conditions.
Pattern of Abuse and Evasion
The most damning part of the record came in 2019 when Marten, pregnant with her third child, fell—or was pushed—out of a window.
Despite suffering serious injuries, she dismissed the incident as an accident.
The judge, however, ruled it was likely Gordon had pushed her during a violent altercation, endangering both her life and the baby’s.
Even after this, the couple actively avoided social services.
Marten fled to Ireland with her children, refusing to return despite a High Court order.
She lied about drug use, ignored contact sessions with her children, and lashed out at anyone who tried to help.
In one heartbreaking moment, a child left in foster care said, “My mummy and daddy cancelled again,” after the couple failed to show up for a scheduled visit.
Legal System Finally Steps In
By 2022, the couple had four children—all of whom were in foster care.
The courts ruled that adoption was the only viable path to keep the children safe. Marten’s claim that she would leave Gordon and raise the kids alone was not believed.
Gordon remained silent throughout court proceedings.
Judge Reardon painted a tragic portrait of two parents who were intelligent and capable, but whose unwavering obsession with control and mistrust meant they consistently chose themselves over their children.
The judge was blunt: the kids had suffered, and would likely continue to suffer emotionally for years to come.
One Final, Tragic Chapter
Yet even after the adoption hearings concluded, Marten became pregnant again.
Determined to escape social services, the couple went on the run.
Their fifth child, Victoria, was born on Christmas Eve 2022 in a rented cottage.
Authorities only became aware after finding a placenta in their abandoned car.
Victoria was never found alive. Despite a judge’s emergency care order, the baby died before she could be rescued.
A Story That Leaves a Nation Asking Why
The case of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon is a tragic tale of missed chances, manipulation, and a system stretched to its limits.
It raises difficult questions about how best to protect children when parents refuse all help, and how far the state can go when faced with calculated defiance.
It also leaves behind a heartbreaking legacy: five young lives, all affected by choices made in the name of love—but shaped by delusion and destruction.