A father who disappeared with his partner and newborn child is a registered sex offender, it has emerged.
Detectives have been searching for Mark Gordon, Constance Marten and their baby since they went missing when their car broke down on the M61 near Bolton on January 5.
Police believe their baby may have been born in the vehicle and was no more than two days old at the time of the wreck.
It is also believed that most of the couple’s belongings were destroyed when their abandoned vehicle was set on fire due to a mechanical problem.
Gordon, 48, was convicted of rape and battery in the late 1980s and served 20 years in a Florida prison.
After his release and deportation to the UK in 2010, Gordon was placed on the sex offenders’ register.
Image: CCTV of the couple at East Ham station. Photo: Met the police
After leaving their vehicle in Bolton on January 5, the pair are believed to have traveled by taxi to Liverpool before continuing to Essex and then London.
They are believed to have a significant amount of cash and are believed to be using it to pay for taxis and Airbnb accommodation to live off the grid, according to police.
The 35-year-old Mrs. Marten comes from a wealthy aristocratic family.
Detectives are increasingly concerned about the baby’s health and say no medical professional examined the child or the mother during the pregnancy.
“It’s been almost two weeks since Mark and Constance’s car broke down on the M61 near Bolton and they were on the move all that time with a newborn baby,” said Detective Constable Louis Basford, leading the investigation.
Image: A woman believed to be Constance Marten seen near Harwich Harbor in Essex. Photo: GMP
“To the best of our knowledge, neither Constance nor the baby has received medical attention since birth. Our priority is to ensure that the baby, as well as Constance and Mark, are safe and well.
“This is a complex investigation with police officers from across the Met continuing to work around the clock to find Constance, Mark and their baby.
“There’s nothing to suggest any of them have done any intentional harm – we just need to make sure they’re OK, especially the baby, and don’t need medical attention for any underlying problems.”
Read more: Where was the couple spotted? Missing couple spotted on CCTV in London
“Once again, I am speaking directly to you, Constance and Mark. Please do the right thing for your baby and contact us so we know you are all ok.’
Around 100 Metropolitan Police officers are involved in the investigation and are being assisted by specialist resources from the National Crime Agency.
They reviewed 223 hours of CCTV footage in search of the missing family.
Greater Manchester Police, working alongside Essex Police, released CCTV footage showing someone they believe to be Ms Marten in a red scarf outside Harwich Port, Essex, at 9am on Saturday 7 January.
The pair are also believed to have been spotted in Colchester.
The Metropolitan Police shared CCTV footage showing Ms Marten with a red scarf around her head and Mr Gordon with his head down and a beanie hat at East Ham station in Newham, east London, on the same day.
Police believe the couple, who were at the station sometime between 11.45 and 12.30pm, took a taxi from Essex.
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