Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon have been convicted of killing their newborn baby, following a high-profile trial at the Old Bailey.
Marten, 38, a woman from an aristocratic background, and Gordon, 51, fled with their baby daughter, Victoria, in an attempt to avoid intervention by social services, who had previously taken their four older children into care.
On Monday, a jury found the pair guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence. The couple declined to respond or stand as the verdict was announced.
While Gordon leaned back and closed his eyes, Marten appeared resigned, her face expressionless.
Legal Turmoil and Courtroom Drama
The pair’s conviction followed a second trial at the Old Bailey, after an earlier attempt collapsed. Both proceedings were mired in disruption, stretching over 33 weeks of courtroom time—costing an estimated £10m at £30,000 per defendant per day.
Initially, Gordon’s legal team requested that the jury be dismissed due to the prejudicial nature of the revelation. However, Gordon later reversed this position after learning he would face trial alone if proceedings restarted.
Marten then announced plans to dismiss her KC—her 15th legal representative during the proceedings—though she continued to be represented by a junior barrister. Meanwhile, Gordon’s lawyers withdrew, forcing him to represent himself.
He requested access to a comprehensive 3,500-page criminal law manual, Archbold. At one point, Judge Lucraft quipped: “Do you want me to adjourn for three years while you do a law degree?”
In a rare move, Gordon was permitted to cross-examine Marten in court. She used the opportunity to condemn her own wealthy family—linked to the Royal Family—accusing them of viewing her as “an embarrassment.”
‘Reckless and Tragic Decisions’
Following the guilty verdict, Samantha Yelland of the Crown Prosecution Service said it was “shocking” that Marten and Gordon “could subject their newborn baby to such obvious risks.”
“Their reckless actions were driven by a selfish desire to keep their baby at all costs—resulting in her tragic death,” Yelland said.
She added that the couple had taken extreme steps to avoid detection—forsaking bank cards, going without food, discarding phones, and travelling across the country to evade police.
Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, who led the investigation, said the “selfish actions” of the pair led to the preventable death of a child who “should have recently celebrated her second birthday.”
She noted that while the conviction could not undo the tragedy, it brought a measure of justice: “I am pleased our investigation has resulted in the couple who caused her death finally being brought to justice.”
Flight from Authority
Marten reportedly met Gordon around a decade ago, and the two wed in an unofficial ceremony in Peru, where she became pregnant with their first child.
Marten’s family disapproved of the relationship and even hired private investigators to track her movements.
“Some people who are privileged think they are above the rules,” Marten told the court. “It is harrowing, you are up against these people who will stop at nothing, who have endless resources and connections.”
The nationwide search began after police discovered a placenta in the couple’s burned-out vehicle abandoned on a motorway in Bolton in January 2023.
According to Marten, the couple fled in a desperate attempt to prevent their newborn from being taken, claiming her previous children were “stolen by the state.”
They funded their escape using substantial amounts from Marten’s family trust, travelling from Bolton to Liverpool, Harwich, London and eventually Newhaven.
Neglect and Danger
Prosecutors said Victoria was inadequately dressed for winter conditions, wearing only a babygrow. Marten, they claimed, had become wet while carrying the child under her coat, contributing to the likelihood of hypothermia.
Victoria may have also been smothered accidentally during co-sleeping, the court heard.
Evidence presented revealed that Marten had previously been warned in 2017 about the dangers of living outdoors with a baby and of sleeping with a child on her chest.
Despite this, Marten claimed she was acting out of fear and insisted that protecting Victoria had been her “number one priority.”
Public Scrutiny and Personal Claims
Gordon, who initially refused to testify, eventually took the stand but abandoned his evidence before cross-examination.
In a tearful courtroom appearance, he blamed the nationwide search for triggering a series of “calamitous” events that ended with Victoria’s death.
He told the jury that he and Marten had been vilified: “treated like monsters,” and dragged through the mud “like scum.”
He later stopped testifying abruptly, stating: “All right, that’s it.”
In his final address to the jury, Gordon, wearing a pale orange head covering, dismissed the prosecution’s version of events as “like a script from a movie.”
He insisted the baby was not in danger, describing them as “experienced campers” and citing their use of layered clothing and even referring to his “wife’s excessive body fat” as insulation.
‘Complete Madness’ and Courtroom Publicity
During the retrial, Marten—who trained as a journalist—was featured on the front cover of a publication by women in the criminal justice system.
In the accompanying article, she criticised the “disgusting and inadequate” court food, “stone-cold cells,” and the emotional toll of attending court for long hours without rest.
“My life depends on the outcome of this trial,” she wrote. “How can I remain alert and attentive for three months with very little rest and no access to my legal team?”
Describing the process as “complete madness,” she portrayed herself as isolated and overwhelmed by the judicial process.
Editing by M10News Crime Desk | Contact: info@m10news.com
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