Page 30 | Constance Marten case — I feel the police have some responsibility too

ARichtGoodDram · 15/07/2025 11:36

I think it's appalling to put any blame on the police for the actions of a violent rapist and a wealthy woman who made the choice to have multiple children with said rapist.

Constance Martin had the financial means to have a life beyond what most people could dream of. She could have easily funded support and assistance beyond many.

Instead she ended up in the situation where her children were forcibly removed as a last resort. Even after this, with the means to live anywhere in the world with assistance, she chose to go on the run with him and repeatedly endanger the life of her baby.

In time it may emerge that other services could have done more, but criticising the service who were left in a race against time to try and protect a vulnerable infant is extremely low imo.

manicpixieschemegirl · 15/07/2025 11:36

Over40Overdating · 15/07/2025 10:06

Except in this case it isn’t a poor vulnerable, PND addled mum.
It’s an arrogant, entitled, paranoid woman and her sociopathic rapist partner seeing a newborn baby as a way to prove ‘the man’ or ‘the system’ has no dominion over them. It was a power play. Nothing more.

Are you honestly telling me their actions - being wrapped in puffa coats and scarves whilst their newborn was in a buggy with no blanket, wrapping her remains in a used nappy and putting her in a shopping bag, tossing her aside on an allotment with the same care as a sandwich wrapper and refusing to allow her body to be found to give her some dignity are the actions of good parents under pressure by the nasty police?

Their behaviour in court, where everyone was blamed for their actions but themselves and their repeated firing of legal counsel and complaints about the stress of trial days being so long and only having microwaved food speak volumes. Not once have they accepted their negligence killed that child. Not once have they shown any sorrow or remorse.

I am no fan of the police but they knew they were dangers to that baby and that these two selfish pieces of shit would stop at nothing to ‘win’ even if it meant another abandoned child.

All of this.

The way some people will find any angle to try to absolve these vile creatures of responsibility is nauseating. I understand victims of DV projecting their own feelings and experiences onto CM initially but with all of the information now available, there’s absolutely no excuse to paint her as a victim. They’re both dangerous and disturbed and their actions alone are the reason that poor baby died.

I hope Victoria is at peace and that her siblings have been placed with a loving family, and are receiving the support they need.

DodoTired · 15/07/2025 11:35

Siff · 15/07/2025 09:54

I understand the police had to act quickly — especially when a newborn’s safety is uncertain. But I still think the way they did it made things worse.

What I keep coming back to is this: the police and media didn’t need to broadcast a full-scale manhunt in the way they did. Publicly, they could’ve taken a softer tone — something like: “We are not pursuing this as a criminal matter. We just want to make sure mum and baby are safe. Constance, you’re not in trouble, please come forward.”
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, they could’ve still been actively tracking them.

That kind of messaging could’ve made the pair feel safer and less hunted — possibly leading to calmer, more rational decisions. Instead, the aggressive public manhunt likely pushed them deeper into hiding. It’s what led them to sleep in a tent in freezing conditions with a newborn. That didn’t happen in a vacuum — it was a reaction to fear.

Yes, they made those decisions. But the pressure created by the police strategy played a part in those decisions. This wasn’t a case of someone hiding a body after a murder — this was a terrified new mother in crisis, being chased across the country. That’s a different context entirely.

That’s how they started though, it didn’t start out as a manhunt or witch-hunt, it had changed as things progressed and it became clear soft approach is not working

Digdongdoo · 15/07/2025 11:34

They'd had 4 children's worth of chances. Not sure what else police were supposed to do. They were clearly already well down a path of escalating neglect and abuse, it likely wouldn't have ended well whatever anyone did.

Wimbledonmum1985 · 15/07/2025 11:34

AddictAlice · 15/07/2025 11:06

I kind of agree with you. It only takes a few things to go wrong for many of us to find ourselves in a similar situation. There but for the grace of God.

Are you having a laugh? So this could happen to anyone? This pair of degenerates should never see the light of day again.

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 15/07/2025 11:33

@Toohotforaduvet I think she wanted this baby more than anything but the exhaustion of moving around and sleeping in a tent, which she was only doing out of fear.

What's your excuse for Victoria not have any warm clothes on or even a blanket when her parents were all rugged up to the nines?

Serpentstooth · 15/07/2025 11:33

No OP few people agree with you. How would you find - a countrywide search -: a newborn and mother who possibly needed hospital treatment when you had no idea where to start? Below zero temperatures as well with every day increasing desperation to find them before the inevitable happened. YABVVVU.

Zebedee999 · 15/07/2025 11:33

ellie09 · 15/07/2025 11:24

They never should have been parents, and the only people that anyone should feel sorry for are the 5 poor children who are the victims amongst this mess.

He was a convicted rapist, that served 20 years in the US and described as extremely dangerous. She was a self entitled, spoilt brat who thought she could get away with whatever she wanted and was above the law.

Her family were providing her with over £3000 per month from a family trust. She had more means than most to provide her children with a safe and nuturing upbringing, but chose to put her psychopath partner above her own babies.

Despite having child after child, there was no attempt by either parent to improve their relationships with their children. They missed countless visitations. They popped out more kids, knowing rightly that the child would likely be taken from them, from their own actions or inactions (whichever way you want to look at it).

They had poor baby Victoria, who was born and spent her very first days in a freezing tent in the middle of winter, being pushed around in a baby gro whilst the parents had heavy winter coats on. They knew this behaviour would put their child at risk, yet they still embarked on this for weeks and weeks.

They then concealed the death of their so called "cherished" baby, and dumped her in a plastic bag alongside her soiled nappies, and continued on their way without alerting anybody. That baby probably died in pain.

Its all absolutely horrendous. And yes, I know that the mothers past may have some trauma, but what it all boils down to, is that she chose a monster continuously over her poor innocent children, who will now likely suffer their entire lives.

They can both rot in hell.

My God that is a distressing read. Poor child.

JLou08 · 15/07/2025 11:33

They'd already had children removed and there would have been very good reason for that. This wasn't just a vulnerable woman in the post natal period. I would guess that if that was the case there would have been a more gentle approach. No one is to blame for the babies death other than the parents.

NotrialNodeal · 15/07/2025 11:32

PennyAnnLane · 15/07/2025 11:28

I couldn’t disagree with you more, there are some people who you just can’t help, the police needed to find them and did what they could, but these two were selfish nutters who had already proven they couldn’t look after their first four children to the extent they were removed from them, and unfortunately they were well funded enough to be able to move around the country. It was a very unusual situation and the only people to blame are themselves. Their poor baby never stood a chance.

Was constance family funding her? Did they know her partners criminal history do you know?

Toohotforaduvet · 15/07/2025 11:31

I was only thinking this yesterday. She had four children removed and was with a potentially violent man. Her state of mind and distrust of anyone official will have played a huge part.
I think she wanted this baby more than anything but the exhaustion of moving around and sleeping in a tent, which she was only doing out of fear, caused a baby's death.
I also think the Lidl bag is totally irrelevant, as the child had already died, and that's all they had.
She seems like a vulnerable woman, who has lost all her children, it's tragic really. I think her family have a lot to answer for too.

PennyAnnLane · 15/07/2025 11:28

I couldn’t disagree with you more, there are some people who you just can’t help, the police needed to find them and did what they could, but these two were selfish nutters who had already proven they couldn’t look after their first four children to the extent they were removed from them, and unfortunately they were well funded enough to be able to move around the country. It was a very unusual situation and the only people to blame are themselves. Their poor baby never stood a chance.

Notchangingnameagain · 15/07/2025 11:28

WTAF.

BertieBotts · 15/07/2025 11:25

This background article on the parents is harrowing. Can't tell if it's the same one which has been posted before, I don't think so.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-f59836ed-24c7-481c-bfee-f39549487c64

Of course any parent would do anything to keep their baby with them. The problem is some parents don't have the capacity to keep their children safe. I think this couple unfortunately fit that bill. It doesn't mean they don't love their child, the phrase "necessary but not sufficient" comes to mind.

I think the police response was absolutely warranted. It doesn't seem to me that anything less would have encouraged them to keep the baby any safer. They already knew there was no chance of them keeping her. Ultimately even with the entire country looking for them they were too late.

noctilucentcloud · 15/07/2025 11:25

PrincessJasmine1 · 15/07/2025 11:02

Honestly, I don't understand why they didn't leave the country when she was still pregnant. They must have known they would be hunted in this country because of their SS history. They could have lived in their own way somewhere else where nobody would know them or ever heard of them. It's so strange they didn't leave.

Social services don't remove children unless there are very good reasons to. Can you imagine the life the poor child would've had if they had manage to go abroad. It wouldn't of been a happy or safe one.

ellie09 · 15/07/2025 11:24

They never should have been parents, and the only people that anyone should feel sorry for are the 5 poor children who are the victims amongst this mess.

He was a convicted rapist, that served 20 years in the US and described as extremely dangerous. She was a self entitled, spoilt brat who thought she could get away with whatever she wanted and was above the law.

Her family were providing her with over £3000 per month from a family trust. She had more means than most to provide her children with a safe and nuturing upbringing, but chose to put her psychopath partner above her own babies.

Despite having child after child, there was no attempt by either parent to improve their relationships with their children. They missed countless visitations. They popped out more kids, knowing rightly that the child would likely be taken from them, from their own actions or inactions (whichever way you want to look at it).

They had poor baby Victoria, who was born and spent her very first days in a freezing tent in the middle of winter, being pushed around in a baby gro whilst the parents had heavy winter coats on. They knew this behaviour would put their child at risk, yet they still embarked on this for weeks and weeks.

They then concealed the death of their so called "cherished" baby, and dumped her in a plastic bag alongside her soiled nappies, and continued on their way without alerting anybody. That baby probably died in pain.

Its all absolutely horrendous. And yes, I know that the mothers past may have some trauma, but what it all boils down to, is that she chose a monster continuously over her poor innocent children, who will now likely suffer their entire lives.

They can both rot in hell.

Zebedee999 · 15/07/2025 11:24

Siff · 15/07/2025 09:46

I know Constance Marten and her partner made dangerous and illegal choices, and I’m not excusing that — a baby died and that’s heartbreaking. But I can’t stop thinking about the way the case was handled and whether the police have some responsibility in how things unfolded.

As a mum of four who’s struggled mentally after birth, I keep thinking: if I had just given birth, was vulnerable, and felt like the whole world was hunting me down — would I have thought clearly? Probably not. The media coverage was intense, and the police were everywhere. The pressure must have been overwhelming.

I honestly believe the fear created by the police operation pushed them into making more and more desperate and risky decisions to stay hidden. It wasn’t just a search — it felt like a witch hunt. No safeguarding, no attempt to reach her as a vulnerable mother, just a hard push to capture and punish.

I think that approach had consequences. The police must take some responsibility for creating the kind of fear and pressure that led to this tragedy. The way they went about it likely made things worse — not better — for the baby.

It’s easy to say she was selfish or unstable, but mental health in the postnatal period is fragile. People don’t always think rationally when terrified. I just wish there had been more humanity in how it was all handled.
Anyone else feel the same?

You're bonkers. Had the police done nothing you'd be here bitching about that too.

YourUglySister · 15/07/2025 11:23

Donttellempike · 15/07/2025 11:21

Well it did. They didn’t find them in time and she died

Show quote history

Exactly. If that member of the public hadn’t seen the coverage and reported a sighting they may never have been found at all.

maudelovesharold · 15/07/2025 11:23

Gorden threw her out of a window
is pure speculation with no proof at all. Gut feeling isn’t sufficient.

ThatsNotMyTeen · 15/07/2025 11:22

No sympathy for her one jot. She had privileges most people can only dream of and pissed it up the wall to shack up with a rapist. They both deserve all they get.

ladygindiva · 15/07/2025 11:22

Ted27 · 15/07/2025 10:20

@Siff

Many adopted children have some form of contact with their family.
They also have life story work so they can understand their history.
Tell me if you had adopted one of these kids how would you explain that dad was a violent convicted rapist but you still have to go and see them?

I had to take one foster child to 'family time ' once a month with his dad. He would get hyped up before, come out traumatised, and I'd have to pick up the pieces and the child continued to suffer.

A friend of mine adopted a set of siblings who had a very traumatic beginning due to neglect , abuse and drug taking by their mum. They had to attend monthly contact meetings which traumatised them all. I don't think these contact sessions benefit the child, and as such, shouldn't happen.

Donttellempike · 15/07/2025 11:21

YourUglySister · 15/07/2025 11:18

The baby’s life may have depended on the police finding her. It’s easy to criticise but they absolutely couldn’t sit on that information, a member of the public helpfully reporting a sighting was ultimately how they were found.

Well it did. They didn’t find them in time and she died

Gloriia · 15/07/2025 11:19

The police did a brilliant job in finding them, obviously via reports from the public. The amount of people who go missing though you'd think it would have been impossible to locate them and finding them on all the cctv images must have been painstaking.

Tragically too late, seeing the baby being manhandled into a buggy that looked totally inappropriate for her size was awful to witness. I have no sympathy for either of them.

Muffinmam · 15/07/2025 11:18

In this instance this is a woman who had access to financial resources who made a conscious decision to stay with a violent rapist - who violently assaulted one of her own children.

She made a choice. This isn’t about a mother being mentally unwell and not having access to resources. She could have left him and raised her children. She decided not to.

This is about a woman who stayed with a violent man when she didn’t have to.

She concealed her pregnancy and her child. Then she exposed that child to the elements and threw it away with the garbage after she caused it’s death.

YourUglySister · 15/07/2025 11:18

The baby’s life may have depended on the police finding her. It’s easy to criticise but they absolutely couldn’t sit on that information, a member of the public helpfully reporting a sighting was ultimately how they were found.