An aristocrat on trial for the death of her newborn daughter told jurors she had “no choice” but to go on the run after social services took her four older children into care.
Constance Marten, 37, and her partner Mark Gordon, 50, are accused of manslaughter by gross negligence after fleeing across the UK with their newborn, Victoria, who was later found dead in a shopping bag hidden in a disused shed in Brighton on 1 March 2023.
Giving emotional evidence at the Old Bailey today, Marten denied harming the child and insisted the couple did everything possible to protect her. “Victoria was our number one priority, not us,” she said. “She needed to be with her parents for as long as possible.”
Wearing a navy blazer and blue blouse, Marten told the court that the trauma of losing her older children to the care system drove her to give birth in secret at a remote Northumberland cottage in December 2022. She accused her wealthy family of orchestrating the removal of her children due to their disapproval of her relationship with Gordon, who is Black.
“My other four children were stolen by the state,” Marten said tearfully. “It’s been very, very hard. I loved them extremely. I wanted to have another baby because I could not cope without my children.”
The couple had planned to evade social services by moving every few days, paying cash for short-term stays to avoid detection. Marten also claimed their vehicles had been tampered with by private investigators hired by her family, who allegedly placed GPS trackers on the cars.
Gordon and Marten embarked on a cross-country journey, camping in the South Downs during winter, where baby Victoria tragically died. “Absolutely not – we did everything we could to protect her,” Marten said when asked if she had caused her child harm. “I still feel angry, upset, and there are still elements of shock. I don’t think this process has really allowed me to grieve properly.”
Marten said she had dreamed of a large family and a rural life, describing her aristocratic upbringing as “financially comfortable” but lacking love. She claimed her relatives “illegally sold” her grandmother’s estate, adding, “Financially yes [I was privileged], but emotionally not at all.”
The trial has heard that after two months on the run, police discovered Victoria’s remains under a pile of rubbish. Prosecutors allege the couple put their child at risk by avoiding medical attention and living in dangerous conditions.
Both Marten and Gordon deny charges of manslaughter, causing or allowing the death of a child, and child cruelty.
The trial continues.
