Aristocrat Couple Deny Baby Death Charges After Sensational 54-Day Police Hunt
Constance Marten, 36, and her boyfriend Mark Gordon, 49, have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges linked to the death of their newborn daughter, Victoria. The duo sparked a nationwide manhunt earlier this year after vanishing with their baby.
Body Found in Brighton Allotment Shed
The couple appeared at London’s Old Bailey today to face serious allegations, including manslaughter by gross negligence, concealing Victoria’s birth, perverting the course of justice, child cruelty, and causing or allowing a child’s death. Victoria’s lifeless body was discovered stuffed in a plastic bag beneath a pile of nappies inside a shed at a Brighton allotment.
Defiant in Court: ‘Absolutely Not Guilty’
Marten, dressed in a white jumper and black trousers, and Gordon, in a grey tracksuit and green skull cap, firmly denied the charges. While Gordon vocally protested his innocence, Marten declared, “absolutely not guilty” and “definitely not guilty.”
Judge Mark Lucraft, KC, reprimanded the couple for whispering in the dock, reminding them to show respect during the trial.
High-Profile Family Support and Massive Police Operation
Constance’s father, Napier Marten, a former page to the late Queen, was present in court, sporting a green jacket with a purple tie and pocket square.
The upcoming six-week trial is set for January, with a case management hearing scheduled for December 8. Marten’s KC, Gudrun Young, suggested the date might be too soon, but prosecutor Joel Smith insisted it proceed as planned.
Fleeing Couple Sparks Enormous Police Search
The couple vanished in January after their car caught fire on the M61 near Bolton. CCTV showed them in heavy outdoor gear, carrying bags as they walked down a street. Over the following weeks, sightings popped up across Liverpool, Essex, south London, and East Sussex.
Police and search volunteers scoured 90 square miles in a massive rescue effort. It’s believed Marten had recently given birth but had not been medically assessed. The pair reportedly survived on the run, living in a blue tent and evading capture for nearly two months before their arrest.
