Runaway aristocrat ‘debated cremating dead baby with bottle of petrol’ after her daughter ‘died in her arms’

25 January 2024, 18:59 | Updated: 25 January 2024, 19:13

Constance Marten, 36, and Mark Gordon, 49, allegedly concealed the birth of baby girl Victoria after she became pregnant in early 2022
Constance Marten, 36, and Mark Gordon, 49, allegedly concealed the birth of baby girl Victoria after she became pregnant in early 2022. Picture: Alamy
Kieran Kelly

By Kieran Kelly

A runaway aristocrat bought petrol to cremate her baby after discovering she had died, a court was told today.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon allegedly concealed the birth of their baby girl, Victoria, after she became pregnant in 2022.

The pair went on the run in January last year in an alleged bid to stop her from being taken away by social services, the Old Bailey heard today.

The baby girl spent "much of her life" in a supermarket bag before she died, it was claimed today.

Victoria's body was later discovered in a Lidl big in an abandoned shed in the countryside, the court heard.

At this point, Marten had considered cremating her baby with a bottle of petrol after discovering she had died, the court was told.

The pair are on trial for the manslaughter of newborn Victoria. They deny the charges.

Read More: Runaway aristocrat’s baby ‘found dead in Lidl bag’ after parents had four other children taken into care, court hears

Court artist sketch of Constance Marten (left) and Mark Gordon (right), seated with a dock officer, in the dock at the Old Bailey
Court artist sketch of Constance Marten (left) and Mark Gordon (right), seated with a dock officer, in the dock at the Old Bailey. Picture: Alamy

In her police interview, Marten said: "When I woke up I was like crouched over her like that, holding her and she wasn't moving when I woke up. I don't know how long I'd been asleep.

"I saw she wasn't moving and her lips had gone blue.

"And, yeah, I don't know how long we slept, I don't know why she didn't, make any noise, and it was just so tired, I don't know.

"Yeah. That's all I can say. I tried to resuscitate her, I tried to breathe in her mouth and pump her chest. And er, there was no response.

"So I wrapped her in a scarf and cradled her for a few minutes. I didn't know what to do."

Read More: Runaway aristocrat and boyfriend 'let baby die to stop her being taken into care' like their four other children

Constance Marten
Constance Marten. Picture: Alamy
Mark Gordon
Mark Gordon. Picture: Alamy

Prosecutor Tom Little KC argued today that the case involved "the entirely avoidable death of a young baby".

The court was told that Marten, 36, and Gordon, 49, already had four children together, all of which had been taken into care.

Little said: "A young baby girl who would still, we say, be alive if it was not for the reckless, utterly selfish, callous, cruel, arrogant and ultimately grossly negligent conduct of the two defendants on trial.

"They were the parents of that young baby girl. They put their relationship and their view of life before the life of that little baby girl.

"Rather than act in the obvious best interests of a vulnerable baby, one that they should have cared for and looked after, they decided instead that they knew best.

"They decided that they knew better than anyone else. No matter who they were. They decided to ignore the advice they had previously been given.

"And it was their selfish desire to keep their baby girl that led inexorably to the death of that very baby."

Police searching allotments for baby Victoria Marten after the arrest of her mother Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon
Police searching allotments for baby Victoria Marten after the arrest of her mother Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon. Picture: Alamy

Jurors were told that Marten and Gordon "deprived" Victoria of "what she needed", which included "warmth, shelter and good, and ultimately safety".

The pair were accused of going "off-grid" in the middle of a "cold winter and in cruel and obviously dangerous weather conditions".

Mr Little went on: "When the hunt by the authorities to find them, which became national front page news almost exactly a year ago, intensified- so their desperate selfishness increased and so did the risks and dangers to that baby.

"This led to them camping in freezing and obviously dangerous conditions on the South Downs with insufficient clothing, equipment and food never once seeking any medical attention or assistance.

"And it was this grossly negligent and obviously dangerous conduct that caused the death of their baby daughter and which leads to them sitting before you on trial at the Old Bailey."

The trial is expected to go on until March 8.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

The Prince Of Wales And The Duchess Of Cornwall Attend "A Starry Night In The Nilgiri Hills"

King Charles to be snubbed by senior Australian politicians in major overseas trip

Hezbollah has launched the biggest attack on Israel since the October 7 massacre - as a barrage of drones injures dozens in the northern town of Binyamina.

Four Israeli soldiers killed and dozens injured in Hezbollah drone attack on IDF base

An armed man was arrested at a Donald Trump rally on Saturday - as police say the suspect was possibly about to make an attempt on the former President's life.

Trump in third 'assassination scare' as man arrested at rally with guns and fake passes in California

A former Premier League and international footballer has been arrested on suspicion of raping a woman at a London hotel.

Former Premier League and international footballer 'arrested on suspicion of rape at top London hotel'

UN peacekeepers have been left requiring treatment after they report the IDF forcing entry to their compound in southern Lebanon.

IDF forces entry to UN compound in Lebanon after Netanyahu says troops are a 'human shield for Hezbollah'

Countdown champion charged with stabbing rival gameshow contestant at a tournament

Countdown champion charged with stabbing rival gameshow contestant at a tournament

Police crime scene tape UK

Murder investigation launched after man in his 30s shot dead in East London

Mel Stride at odds with Boris Johnson over ECHR referendum - but says he will back Tory leadership winner '110 per cent'

Mel Stride at odds with Boris Johnson over ECHR referendum - but says he will back Tory leadership winner '110 per cent'

'These things happen’: Transport Secretary backs Starmer as party distances itself from P&O 'cowboy operator' comments

'These things happen’: Business Secretary addresses Labour division amid Haigh's P&O Ferries 'cowboy operator' row

'Scotland is a country not a county': Alex Salmond's 'final words' as tributes paid to former Scottish First Minister

'Scotland is a country not a county': Alex Salmond's 'final words' as tributes paid to former Scottish First Minister

Christopher Columbus 'kept secret he was Jewish' as DNA testing reveals Spanish roots, solving 500 year mystery

Christopher Columbus 'kept secret he was Jewish' as DNA testing reveals Spanish roots, solving 500 year mystery

Stargazers capture 'comet of a lifetime' in UK skies after last being viewed by neanderthals 80,000 years ago

Stargazers capture 'comet of a lifetime' in UK skies after last being viewed by neanderthals 80,000 years ago

Ministers set to axe hereditary peers 'by Easter' as Labour forces through bill

Ministers set to axe hereditary peers 'by Easter' with Labour poised to force through bill

Cluster of light brown galerina marginata mushrooms, toxic fungi specie from Europe

'Mass casualty incident' sees 11 children hospitalised after eating 'toxic mushrooms'

Coleen Rooney arrives with husband Wayne Rooney at Royal Courts of Justice

Coleen Rooney 'signs up for I’m A Celeb' in wake of latest Wagatha Christie win

King Charles leads tributes to 'titan' Alex Salmond as royal 'deeply saddened' by death of former Scottish First Minister

King Charles and Keir Starmer lead tributes to 'titan' Alex Salmond following death of former Scottish First Minister