The sightings of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon – from Liverpool to Brighton

Published

2 years ago

February 28, 2023

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A couple who went missing with their newborn child have been found and arrested, although their baby is still missing.

Constance Marten, 35, and her partner Mark Gordon, 48, were first reported missing after their car broke down and was found burning on the M61 near Bolton, Greater Manchester, on Thursday 5 January.

Sussex Police said they were spotted in Brighton by a member of the public just before 9.30pm on Monday before they were arrested and taken into police custody – an urgent search operation has been launched to find their baby.

Here, Sky News looks at what we know so far about the search.

First reported missing

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) released an appeal on Friday 6 January for information on the whereabouts of the couple and their baby.

They said the couple were last seen the day before, on Thursday 5 January, after breaking down by junction four of the M61 near Bolton.

The force said they had evidence suggesting Ms Marten, who comes from a wealthy family, had “very recently given birth, and neither her or the baby have been assessed by medical professionals”.

The couple left the car and walked towards Anchor Lane bridge, which links the Highfield and Little Hulton areas, at around 6.30pm.

They are believed to have paid in cash to travel first to Liverpool and then to Essex, possibly by taxi, according to the Manchester Evening News.

Police appealed directly to Ms Marten, saying their “number one priority” is to keep her “beautiful newborn safe”.

GMP also insisted officers “do not wish to interrupt their family life”.

Sightings in Essex

Police reported there had been a “number of sightings” of the couple in Essex.

GMP, working alongside Essex Police, released CCTV showing someone they believed to be Ms Marten in a red shawl outside Harwich Port at 9am on Saturday 7 January.

The couple were also believed to have been spotted in Colchester.

“Our concern is to make sure Constance, Mark and baby are safe and well,” GMP said.

Couple seen in east London

The Metropolitan Police reported a sighting of the couple in east London.

The force shared CCTV showing Ms Marten, with a red shawl around her head, and Mr Gordon, with his head lowered and apparently wearing a beanie hat, at East Ham station in Newham, east London, on Saturday 7 January.

Police believe the couple, who were at the station at some point between 10.30am and 12.30pm, took a taxi from Essex.

The couple were also seen buying camping gear on 7 January. Mr Gordon went into Argos in Whitechapel at 6.19pm, and bought a blue two-man tent, sleeping bags and two pillows.

The family was last seen walking along Brick Lane, towards Bethnal Green Road, at about 10pm that day. At 11.46pm they went to Flower and Dean Walk, where they dumped a number of items, including a pushchair.

Taxi to East Sussex

After being spotted on CCTV entering Flower and Dean Walk on Saturday evening, the pair got into a taxi to Haringey, north London.

At 1.24am on Sunday 8 January, they travelled from Haringey to Newhaven, East Sussex, where they were dropped off just outside the port at 4.56am.

They then walked to an overpass where the A259 crosses over the B2109 where they were seen sheltering from the rain.

The pair were spotted again on Sunday 8 January at 5.18am on Avis Road, Newhaven, from a petrol station forecourt CCTV. Around an hour later at 6.25am, they were seen from a house camera on Cantercrow Hill, Newhaven.

They were carrying a number of bags and their blue tent.

‘You’re putting the baby at risk’

Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who is leading the investigation, said in the Met’s original appeal: “We are growing increasingly concerned not only for their welfare, but for the welfare of their newborn child.

“Constance and Mark, I appeal directly to you, please think of your baby’s health and wellbeing and get in touch with us so we can ensure your child is medically well and has no underlying issues.”

In the latest appeal on 21 February, DS Basford said officers had been “working around the clock behind the scenes,” and have viewed more than “660 hours of CCTV” as part of their efforts.

Director of midwifery for Barts Health NHS Trust, Shereen Nimmo, also issued an appeal directly to Ms Marten, urging her to get medical checks done on her child.

She stressed that it was “not too late” for the child to have these checks done, but the longer the couple do not access medical care, the more they are “putting [their] baby at risk”.

Arrest in Brighton

Ms Marten and Mr Gordon were spotted in Brighton by a member of the public just before 9.30pm on Monday 28 February, Sussex Police said.

They were arrested on suspicion of child neglect and gross negligence manslaughter.

Their baby remains missing, and an urgent search operation is underway in the area, police said.

UK

Teenage girl killed on M5 in Somerset after getting out of police car named

Published

3 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Teenage girl killed on M5 in Somerset after getting out of police car named

A teenage girl who was killed after getting out of a police car on the M5 in Somerset has been named.

Tamzin Hall, 17 and from Wellington, was hit by a vehicle that was travelling southbound between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton shortly after 11pm on Monday.

She had exited a police vehicle that had stopped on the northbound side of the motorway while transporting her.

A mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is now carrying out its own investigation into what happened.

Avon and Somerset Police said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss.

“A specially-trained family liaison officer remains in contact with them to keep them updated and to provide support.

“The family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”

The police watchdog, the IOPC, has been asked to investigate.

In a statement, director David Ford, said: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.

“We are contacting her family to express our sympathies, explain our role, and set out how our investigation will progress. We will keep them fully updated as our investigation continues.”

Paramedics attended the motorway within minutes of the girl being hit but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The motorway was closed in both directions while investigations took place. It was fully reopened shortly after 11am on Tuesday, Nationals Highways said.

UK

Mohamed al Fayed’s brother Salah also abused women, say female Harrods employees

Published

3 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Mohamed al Fayed's brother Salah also abused women, say female Harrods employees

A survivors group advocating for women allegedly assaulted by Mohamed al Fayed has said it is “grateful another abuser has been unmasked”, after allegations his brother Salah also participated in the abuse.

Justice for Harrods Survivors says it has “credible evidence” suggesting the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated at Harrods and the billionaire’s properties “was not limited to Mr al Fayed himself”.

The group’s statement comes after three women told BBC News they were sexually assaulted by al Fayed’s brother, Salah.

One woman said she was raped by Mohamed al Fayed while working at Harrods.

Helen, who has waived her right to anonymity, said she then took a job working for his brother as an escape. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted while working at Salah’s home on Park Lane, London.

Two other women have told the BBC they were taken to Monaco and the South of France, where Salah sexually abused them.

The Justice for Harrod Survivors representatives said: “We are proud to support the survivors of Salah Fayed’s abuse and are committed to achieving justice for them, no matter what it takes.”

The group added it “looks forward to the others on whom we have credible evidence – whether abusers themselves or enablers facilitating that abuse – being exposed in due course”.

Salah was one of the three Fayed brothers who co-owned Harrods.

The business, which was sold to Qatar Holdings when Mohamed al Fayed retired in 2010, has said it “supports the bravery of these women in coming forward”.

A statement issued by the famous store on Thursday evening continued: “We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation, as well as support from a counselling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.

“We also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate.”

The Justice for Harrods Survivors group previously said more than 400 people had contacted them regarding accusations about Mohamed al Fayed, who died last year.

One of those alleged to have been abused is Bianca Gascoigne, the daughter of former England player Paul.

Speaking to Sky News in October, Gascoigne said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by al Fayed when she worked at Harrods as a teenager.

UK

Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman

Published

3 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Wes Streeting 'crossed the line' by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman

Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.

Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.

MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.

But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.

He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.

Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.

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“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.

“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.

“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.

“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”

Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.

She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.

“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.

The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.

Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.

The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.

MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.