The trial of Mark Gordon, the boyfriend of Constance Marten, has taken a dramatic turn as Gordon, aged 49, has chosen not to provide evidence at the Old Bailey trial. Marten, 36, and Gordon are facing charges related to the death of their newborn daughter, Victoria.
The couple stands accused of killing their daughter by fleeing with her in January of the previous year to prevent her from being taken into care by social services. The case gained national attention when the baby’s placenta was discovered in a vehicle on the M61 in Greater Manchester, leading to a widespread police search. Subsequently, Victoria was found deceased in a Lidl bag for life, with prosecutors alleging that she perished from exposure after enduring weeks of bitterly cold conditions during the couple’s camping excursion in the South Downs near Brighton.
Despite earlier indications that Gordon would provide his testimony to the jury, jurors were informed that he had opted not to do so. His barrister, John Femi-Ola, KC, informed the court of this decision, stating, “My Lord, I do not call the defendant.
In previous interviews with the police, Gordon had stated his intention to reserve his testimony exclusively for the jury, citing his faith in the jury system as fundamental to justice in Great Britain. He believed that he would be exonerated once the jury heard his side of the story. Referring to the importance of the jury system, Gordon emphasized that it was for a jury of his peers to decide his fate, invoking historical precedents such as the Magna Carta.
Gordon’s decision not to testify marks a pivotal moment in the trial, with his legal team now preparing to call expert witnesses on his behalf. The trial continues as prosecutors seek justice for Victoria’s untimely death, with Marten and Gordon denying charges of manslaughter by gross negligence, concealment of birth, cruelty to a person under 16, and perverting the course of justice, as well as causing or allowing the death of a child.
As the trial unfolds, the court awaits further developments in this tragic case that has captured the nation’s attention.
