Aristocrat Constance Marten and Mark Gordon are expected to return to court today as the trial into the death of their newborn baby enters its final days.
Marten, 36, and her partner Gordon, 49, have been accused of manslaughter after their daughter Victoria died while they were camping on the South Downs in sub-zero temperatures last January.
In a bid to keep their baby after four previous children were taken into care, the couple had gone on the run and evaded police for nearly two months. Following their arrest, Victoria’s badly decomposed remains were found in a Lidl shopping bag in an allotment shed.
During her evidence, Marten told jurors she had intended to find someone to smuggle them abroad illegally, and claimed her daughter had died in her arms on 9 January after falling asleep in her jacket. She also defended their use of a tent during winter, stating: “Jesus survived in a barn.”
The couple deny charges of gross negligence manslaughter of Victoria between 4 January and 27 February last year, charges of perverting the course of justice by concealing the body, along with concealing the birth of a child, child cruelty, and allowing the death of a child.
The trial continues, with the Crown Prosecution Service expected to sum up its evidence today, followed by the defence lawyers giving their closing arguments. Then the judge will sum up the case before jurors will retire to consider their verdicts.
Constance Marten feels ‘responsible’ for death of her baby, court told
Earlier in the trial, Constance Marten told jurors she felt “responsible” for “falling asleep” on her newborn while living in a tent on the run with Mark Gordon.
Giving evidence, she said she believes she may have fallen asleep on the youngster after they pitched a tent in Newhaven to “lay low”.
“She was our pride and joy. I had four kids. I know how to look after children. Our primary concern was Victoria,” she told the court.
“I do feel responsible for falling asleep on her if that’s what happened. I’m not sure because the autopsy was inconclusive but I do feel responsible for her.”
Alex Ross15 April 2024 11:14
The moment police ask Constance Marten ‘where is your child’
The jury in the trial have previously been shown a video of Constance Marten’s arrest in Brighton.
It shows a police officer identifying her with the use of a picture on a mobile phone, as another asks ‘where is your child’.
The baby’s remains were found in a disused shed, hidden by a plastic bag and covered in rubbish “as if she was refuse”, the prosecution told the court.
Today we are expecting the prosecution to sum up its evidence in the case before the jury retires to consider its verdict.
Marten, 36, and Mark Gordon, 49, both deny gross negligence manslaughter of their newborn daughter
Watch: Police ask Constance Marten ‘where is your child?’ during arrest
Police repeatedly asked Constance Marten “where is your child” in a video of her arrest in Brighton shown to jurors at the Old Bailey on Tuesday (6 February). The aristocrat, 36, and Mark Gordon, 39, were arrested on suspicion of child neglect on 27 February 2023 after going on the run. The couple had allegedly been living with their newborn baby off-grid in a tent on the South Downs for weeks. Marten and Gordon deny gross negligence manslaughter of their newborn daughter. The baby’s remains were found in a disused shed, hidden by a plastic bag and covered in rubbish “as if she was refuse”, the prosecution told the court. The trial continues.
Alex Ross15 April 2024 10:30
Reminder of the charges faced
Constance Marten, 36, and Mark Gordon, 49, both deny gross negligence manslaughter of their newborn daughter who died after they fled to stop the baby being taken into care like their four other children.
Marten has previously told the court how she fell asleep with the infant, named Victoria, zipped inside her jacket as they camped off-grid in the South Downs last January but awoke to find her dead.
Alex Ross15 April 2024 10:15
Constance Marten’s parents deny private investigators were trailing her when she went on the run
Last week, jurors heard how Constance Marten’s parents told police that no private investigators were trailing their daughter when she went on the run with Mark Gordon.
The court heard that Marten’s mother employed a private investigator for two weeks in October 2016 because she was worried about her daughter.
Meanwhile her father told police he had hired investigators to find her in 2017 and 2021.
Alex Ross15 April 2024 09:52
Good morning
We’re restarting updates on our blog this morning as we expectthe prosecution to begin summing up its evidence today in its case against Constance Marten and Mark Gordon.
Marten, 36, and her partner Mark Gordon, 49, have been accused of manslaughter after their daughter Victoria died while they were camping on the South Downs in sub-zero temperatures last January.
We’ll bring you the latest from the Old Bailey.
Alex Ross15 April 2024 09:08
We are now pausing updates on this blog. Thank you for tuning in.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain12 April 2024 15:00
Parents deny private investigators were trailing Marten when she went on the run
In agreed facts read to the jury on Thursday, they were told Marten’s parents had made statements to the police about their use of private investigators.
The court heard that Marten’s mother employed a private investigator for two weeks in October 2016 because she was worried about her daughter.
Her father told police he had hired investigators to find her in 2017 and 2021.
However, both deny any private investigator was instructed to find her in 2022 or in 2023 – when she went on the run with Gordon and baby Victoria.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain12 April 2024 12:38
What is happening today?
The prosecution is expected to begin their closing speech today in the Old Bailey trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon.
Marten, 36, and her partner Mark Gordon, 49, have been accused of manslaughter after their daughter Victoria died while they were camping on the South Downs in sub-zero temperatures last January.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain12 April 2024 09:20
Constance Marten ‘given £48k’ from family trust fund in months up to her baby’s death
A fugitive aristocrat was given almost £50,000 from her family trust fund in the months before she disappeared with her partner and newborn baby, a court has heard.
Constance Marten was given £47,886 by C. Hoare & Co between September 2022 and January 2023. A police appeal to find them was launched on January 6 last year.
Read the full article here:
Holly Evans12 April 2024 06:00
‘Jesus survived in a barn’: Constance Marten defends living in tent with newborn
An aristocrat accused of killing her baby has defended living off-grid while on the run with her newborn, telling jurors: “Jesus survived in a barn, didn’t he?”.
Constance Marten, 36, and her partner, Mark Gordon, 49, are on trial after baby Victoria died while they were camping on the South Downs in wintry conditions last year.
While being cross-examined at the Old Bailey, she argued their period living in a tent on the South Downs was being looked at from a “Western perspective”, adding that Bedouin families walk through cold deserts with children while others live in shanty towns.
Read the full article here:
Holly Evans12 April 2024 04:00
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
