In a harrowing court case, details have emerged surrounding the tragic death of baby Victoria, the newborn daughter of aristocrat Constance Marten, allegedly at the hands of Marten and her partner, Mark Gordon. The court heard that the baby “did not stand a chance” due to the toxic relationship between Marten and Gordon.
The couple is accused of killing baby Victoria after taking her on the run in January last year to prevent her from being taken away by social services. The baby’s placenta was discovered in an exploded car on a Manchester motorway, sparking a widespread police search. Marten and Gordon spent nearly two months evading authorities, camping in a blue tent in the South Downs near Brighton.
Tragically, Victoria was later found dead in a Lidl bag for life, with prosecutors alleging that she died from exposure after enduring weeks of bitterly cold conditions. Marten claimed that the baby died in her arms after one night in the tent, stating, “I believe I fell asleep on top of her.
Both Marten and Gordon deny charges of manslaughter by gross negligence, concealment of the birth of a child, cruelty to a person under 16, and perverting the course of justice.
In his closing speech to the jury, prosecutor Tom Little emphasised the lies, inconsistencies, and fabrications presented by the defendants. Little highlighted Marten’s purported falsehoods and Gordon’s decision not to testify, labelling his silence as “deafening.” Little urged the jury not to be swayed by comparisons to survival conditions in other parts of the world, emphasising the neglect and exposure that Victoria endured.
Little painted a picture of neglect and recklessness, describing Victoria as a “freezing cold baby girl with just a single babygrow and one vest” and emphasizing the defendants’ “self-absorbed” and “toxic” relationship. He argued that Victoria had no chance at life due to the actions and inactions of Marten and Gordon.
Throughout the trial, jurors have heard how the couple fled authorities in an attempt to retain custody of their baby, following the removal of their four older children into care. Despite their efforts, they were apprehended in Brighton just days before Victoria’s body was discovered in a disused allotment shed.
As the trial continues at the Old Bailey, Judge Mark Lucraft reminded the jury to approach the evidence with impartiality, emphasising the need for a fair and reasoned assessment.
The case has brought to light the devastating consequences of alleged negligence and the profound impact of familial strife on the most vulnerable members of society.
