Constance Marten trial: Aristocrat accused of killing newborn baby due back in court

The prosecution is anticipated to start their closing speech immediately within the Previous Bailey trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon.

Marten, 36, and her accomplice Mark Gordon, 49, have been accused of manslaughter after their daughter Victoria died whereas they have been tenting on the South Downs in sub-zero temperatures final January.

A fugitive aristocrat was given virtually £50,000 from her household belief fund within the months earlier than she disappeared along with her accomplice and new child child, a courtroom has heard.

Constance Marten was given £47,886 by C. Hoare & Co between September 2022 and January 2023. A police attraction to search out them was launched on January 6 final 12 months.

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An aristocrat accused of killing her child has defended residing off-grid whereas on the run along with her new child, telling jurors: “Jesus survived in a barn, didn’t he?”.

Constance Marten, 36, and her accomplice, Mark Gordon, 49, are on trial after child Victoria died whereas they have been tenting on the South Downs in wintry circumstances final 12 months.

Whereas being cross-examined on the Previous Bailey, she argued their interval residing in a tent on the South Downs was being checked out from a “Western perspective”, including that Bedouin households stroll by chilly deserts with kids whereas others stay in shanty cities.

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The accomplice of aristocrat Constance Marten advised police she was a “good mom” and had “executed nothing improper” when questioned concerning the dying of their new child child.

Mark Gordon, 49, initially refused to reply questions when he and 36-year-old Ms Marten have been arrested in Brighton some seven weeks after happening the run with their daughter Victoria.

In a police interview final March, he began by saying he would give his testimony to a jury.

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Throughout her proof in March, Constance Marten denied neglecting her child – insisting the toddler died as a result of Marten didn’t take care of herself whereas on the run within the days after she gave delivery.

The aristocrat additionally advised jurors she and her accomplice Mark Gordon didn’t hand themselves in to the authorities as a result of she doesn’t belief the police or social companies after their different 4 kids have been taken into care.

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An aristocrat accused of killing her new child child has defended the circumstances her daughter was left in whereas she and her accomplice have been on the run, telling jurors: “Infants don’t require that a lot to outlive.”

Constance Marten, 36, and her accomplice, Mark Gordon, 49, are accused of gross negligence manslaughter after their daughter Victoria died whereas they have been tenting on the South Downs in wintry circumstances final 12 months.

Throughout her fifth day of testifying on the Previous Bailey, the 36-year-old advised jurors on Thursday: “Individuals have survived with out homes and hospitals for millennia. Infants don’t require that a lot to outlive – they simply want meals, heat and care.”

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An skilled has advised jurors it was “exceedingly unlikely” fugitive mom Constance Marten’s new child child died from the chilly.

Marten, 36, and her accomplice Mark Gordon, 49, have been residing off grid in a tent on the South Downs when their daughter Victoria died, the Previous Bailey has heard.

In her proof, Marten has mentioned the kid died when she fell asleep whereas holding her underneath her jacket within the tent final January 9.

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In agreed details learn to the jury on Thursday, they have been advised Marten’s dad and mom had made statements to the police about their use of personal investigators.

The courtroom heard that Marten’s mom employed a personal investigator for 2 weeks in October 2016 as a result of she was apprehensive about her daughter.

Her father advised police he had employed investigators to search out her in 2017 and 2021.

Nonetheless each deny any personal investigator was instructed to search out her in 2022 or in 2023 – when she went on the run with Gordon and child Victoria.

Professor Fleming insisted co-sleeping was not “inherently harmful”, including: “It’s regular in our species.”

It comes after Marten beforehand advised the courtroom she fell asleep with child Victoria on her chest zipped inside her jacket – earlier than she awoke to search out her lifeless.

Challenged concerning the circumstances inside Marten and Gordon’s tent, he admitted they have been “not optimum”.

“Are you saying {that a} child being on their chest underneath a coat on a mom who’s mendacity on the bottom subsequent to a tent floor on one aspect, anyone else on one other aspect and quite a few sleeping luggage and pillows – are you saying that’s secure sleeping are you?” Mr Little mentioned.

He replied: “No I’m not. I’m saying it’s not optimum.”