Constance Marten and Mark Gordon arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, as search for missing baby continues

Aristocrat Constance Marten and her sex offender boyfriend Mark Gordon have been further arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, police say, as the hunt for their missing baby continues.

A huge search is under way for the two-month-old baby, after Marten and Gordon were found in Brighton. The couple have been avoiding police since the infant was born in early January, moving around the country, paying for everything in cash and covering their faces when on CCTV.

Miss Marten, 35, and Mr Gordon, 48, had not been seen since their car was found burning on the M61 in Bolton, Greater Manchester, on 5 January. The couple were finally found after being spotted by a member of the public in the Stanmer Villas, Brighton on Monday (27 February) shortly before 9.30pm.

In a Tuesday press conference, Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said: “I can confirm that they were initially arrested on suspicion of child neglect. I can now confirm that they have been further arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and that they remain in custody at police stations in Sussex.

“The baby was not with them, and we have not found the baby at yet, ” he said. More than 200 officers are involved in the urgent search operation.

Basford said police had to consider the possibility that the child had “come to harm”, given cold weather in the area, and the fact the pair had now been in custody for a “significant period of time”.

The baby has not had any medical attention since birth in early January and is thought to have been just days old when they disappeared. Authorities previously believed the couple had been sleeping rough in a blue tent, and had avoided being traced by the police by moving around frequently and keeping their faces covered in CCTV images.

The couple travelled from Bolton to Liverpool, then to Harwich in Essex, then to east London and then to Newhaven in Sussex, where they were seen near the ferry port on 8 January.

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford told BBC Breakfast that officers from the Metropolitan and Sussex police forces are searching a huge area of land to try to find the infant. The couple are known to have travelled long distances during the time they have been missing and the BBC reported they were seen in Newhaven a few days ago.

Mr Basford said: “It is a vast area and at present we are looking in the local vicinity to where the couple were arrested last night, seeking a shelter or location for where they may have been holed up and hopefully where the baby is present.

“My plea to the members of the public here in Brighton and crossing over towards Newhaven is please be vigilant in the open land where you are, in the outbuildings that you may have on your own property, and assist us in that way by being vigilant.”

Miss Marten, who is from a wealthy aristocratic family, was a promising drama student when she first met Mr Gordon in 2016. Since then the couple have led an isolated life and in September, when Miss Marten was well into her pregnancy, began moving around rental flats. Gordon served 20 years in prison in the US for rape and battery committed when he was 14.

It is unknown if their baby was full-term or has any health issues. In an appeal a week ago, Shereen Nimmo, director of midwifery for Barts Health NHS Trust, urged the couple to bring the baby in for checks.

She said: “You’re putting your baby at risk by not accessing medical care, so it’s really important that you come and see a midwife, doctor or another healthcare professional as soon as possible.

“Babies need a safe, warm environment and all new mums are given information about safe sleeping for their baby to prevent sudden infant death syndrome. Please do the right thing for your baby and go to your nearest healthcare facility so my caring colleagues can take care of you and your baby. All we want to do is help you.”

At the time, Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said around 50 officers were working on the case at any one time and more than 630 hours of CCTV had been viewed. He said there had been more than 350 calls to police from the public with information following previous appeals.

A £10,000 reward had been on offer for information that led to them being found safe. Anyone who may be able to assist in the search for the couple’s baby is urged to contact 999.