Constance Marten, 36, and Mark Gordon, 49, are currently on trial at the Old Bailey for the manslaughter of their newborn daughter, Victoria, whose lifeless body was discovered in a shed in Brighton in March 2023. The trial has shed light on a harrowing account of the baby's short existence, marred by a nomadic and off-grid lifestyle, as outlined by the prosecution.
Prosecutor Tom Little KC told the court that the couple, who previously had four children taken into care, had gone off the grid to avoid social services' involvement in their new baby's life, concealing the pregnancy from family and healthcare services.
The court heard that only Marten and Gordon knew the exact birth date of Victoria, suspected to be after December 28, 2022. On January 5, a car allegedly belonging to the family was found burned on a road in Greater Manchester, with a placenta wrapped in a towel discovered inside. The couple had left the scene before police arrived, prompting a high-risk missing persons inquiry.
Little told jurors that the baby was then transferred to a Lidl 'bag for life,' where she appeared to spend much of her life before her tragic demise. The couple lived in a tent under freezing and hazardous conditions, with prosecutors contending that these circumstances ultimately led to Victoria's death.
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Misspent Resources and Harsh Living Conditions
The prosecutor emphasized that instead of using funds to secure shelter and warmth during their disappearance, Marten and Gordon spent hundreds of pounds on taxi journeys. By mid-February 2023, they had been living rough for over a month, scavenging for food from bins in freezing weather.
Prosecutors claim that the infant's demise resulted from exposure to wintry conditions outdoors. However, during his opening statement to the jury, John Femi-Ola KC, the defense attorney representing Gordon, countered these allegations, saying "The baby was consistently kept warm and dry, receiving adequate nourishment. There is no indication that the infant necessitated medical intervention."
Femi-Ola emphasized that there is a lack of evidence supporting any indications of violence or the presence of external or internal injuries in the case.
Despite a sighting of Victoria as late as February 19, the baby was not present when the couple was arrested on February 27. In a shocking turn, Victoria's body was found in a shed in Brighton on March 1, covered in rubbish inside the same Lidl bag she had been seen carried in. Pathologists have been unable to establish a cause of death.
Charges and Prosecution's Contention
During a police interview, Marten gave conflicting dates for Victoria's death, claiming she had fallen asleep holding the baby in her jacket, waking up to find her dead. She informed the police that she continued carrying the baby's body in a shopping bag post-mortem, hoping to provide a dignified burial. Shockingly, the infant's remains were ultimately discovered in a neglected shed, concealed within the bag and surrounded by rubbish.
Prosecutor Little emphasized, "The young baby girl would, in our contention, still be alive if not for the reckless, utterly selfish, callous, cruel, arrogant, and ultimately grossly negligent behavior exhibited by these two defendants currently standing trial."
Marten and Gordon face charges of manslaughter by gross negligence, cruelty to their baby, concealment of the baby's birth, causing or allowing her death, and perverting the course of justice. The prosecution contends that the couple's reckless and grossly negligent conduct led to Victoria's death.
