Constance Marten, a 37-year-old aristocrat, and her partner Mark Gordon, 50, are currently on trial at the Old Bailey, facing charges connected to the tragic death of their newborn daughter, Victoria. The couple allegedly concealed the birth of Victoria, their fifth child, born in a cottage in Cumbria in late December 2022, in an effort to prevent her from being taken into care—a fate that befell their four other children.

The couple, considered to have been on the run from authorities, checked into the Ibis Hotel at Lymm Services in Warrington at 4am on January 4, 2023. During this time, Marten posed as a freelance journalist named “Caroline.” Hotel receptionist Cathy Lloyd provided testimony stating that Marten appeared “extremely well-spoken” and “genuine,” yet “very tired.” Lloyd noted that Marten had explained she had lost her credit card and requested to pay in cash, while also mentioning her desire to return home to Hackney. She described Marten’s demeanour as “really sweet” and stated that their conversation touched on her brother’s involvement in a play, but she found it unusual and “unnerving” that Gordon, who entered the hotel shortly after Marten, seemed “very moody” and did not interact positively.

The situation escalated the following day when Marten and Gordon abandoned their belongings and fled after their Peugeot car caught fire on the M61 motorway near Bolton. Witness Ken Hudson, who stopped to assist, saw Marten holding a bundle that contained the head of a baby. Despite his inquiry about the infant’s well-being, which Marten claimed was “fine,” Hudson expressed regret in court for not remaining until emergency services arrived, fearing a potentially different outcome for the baby.

The prosecution contends that Victoria died from either hypothermia or suffocation while the couple lived “off grid” in a flimsy tent on the South Downs. The evidence presented to the jury indicates that they may have carried the baby in a shopping bag-for-life or beneath Marten’s coat during their time on the run. Authorities reported finding a placenta in the wreckage of their car, leading to a thorough search for the missing baby. Tragically, Victoria’s decomposing body was later discovered in a disused shed near Brighton, concealed within a rubbish-filled shopping bag.

During the trial, the prosecution has argued that Marten and Gordon acted with gross negligence, exposing their child to extreme cold and inadequate living conditions despite past warnings about the dangers of co-sleeping and living in a tent with an infant. The jury heard that Marten had access to significant financial resources, including a £3,400 deposit from a trust fund received just a day prior to her hotel stay.

Both defendants have denied charges of gross negligence manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of their daughter between January 4 and February 27, 2023. In a previous trial, they were convicted of charges including concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice.

As the retrial continues, the court is examining the complexities of the defendants’ lifestyle and the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Victoria.

Source: Noah Wire Services