Constance Marten 'strangely' browsed dresses in east London shop during manhunt
The Old Bailey shared that during a nationwide search for Constance Marten and her partner who were accompanied by their newborn child, aristocrat Constance Marten was seen looking at revealing dresses in the display window of a store in East London.
After two days of traveling through the northern regions of England and paying a significant amount of money, £400, for a taxi ride to Essex, the couple observed Marten demonstrating unusual behavior in East Ham, located in London.
Nicola Hutton, a designer who creates visual art, informed the group of people responsible for deciding on a case that she was inside of a vehicle that was waiting behind other vehicles that were stopped at an intersection. While she was waiting, she noticed a female individual who seemed to not have a home.
She stood across from Holland and Barrett's store. She recollected seeing tight-fitting dresses in bold crimson on display in the storefront.
I observed her gazing at the shop display for approximately one minute before she proceeded. She strolled leisurely, seemingly without any urgency to reach a specific destination.
I noticed that she moved sporadically without a clear destination, as her posture indicated a lack of intention.
According to Ms Hutton, she thought the lady was without a home due to her untidy appearance. Also, she suspected that the woman could have been hiding a pet or a stolen object under her coat. She noticed a protruding area that suggested something was concealed there.
She recounted saying, "London has some peculiar individuals" and then realized afterward that the woman she saw was Marten when she watched a BBC News report about the disappearance case the next day.
The legal proceedings revealed that Gordon obtained a stroller from the Argos store in East Ham and went to the pharmacy. Meanwhile, Marten, who was dressed in a maroon jacket and red head-covering, was spotted standing idly on the opposite side of the street by the surveillance cameras.
The search for the couple has become very important in order to safeguard the defenseless infant after the placenta from the baby's childbirth was discovered in the charred vehicle alongside the M61 motorway.
The couple left behind their belongings in bags while running away from the spot where the fire occurred. They first headed towards Bolton and then eventually made their way to Liverpool.
Video recordings from the CCTV camera show Constance Marten and Mark Gordon entering Bolton bus station with a baby supposedly hidden beneath Marten's jacket.
During the trial, the jury received comprehensive information about the pair's travels. They utilized cash to pay for their lodging accommodations and hailed taxis to commute across Northern England, continued down to Essex, and eventually made their way to London.
On Monday, Dale Gosling reported to the court that he stumbled upon the pair in close proximity to Harwich port located in Essex while he was taking his dog for a walk. He noticed them seated on a flower container and verified their identities from news broadcasts.
He stated that he heard a sound of anguish from the infant that Marten was holding, and he addressed the pair by asking: "Pardon me, could you be the individuals who were reported missing with a newborn in a television ad?"
According to Mr. Gosling, Gordon refused to accept responsibility and declined an offer of transportation to take their infant to the hospital for medical care.
According to them, they had a clear idea of their plans and were confident in their actions. They explained that they were attempting to travel to London to pay a visit to their loved ones.
Valentina Burley stated that on the morning of January 7th, while on her way to attend her gathering for ParkRun at Harwich Park, she spotted a pair and listened to the sound of "a very loud crying infant."
She mentioned that she was curious as to why the couple was standing outside in the chilly weather with an infant. It occurred to her that if they were waiting for transportation, they could have chosen to remain indoors where it was cozy.
The couple was given a ride by Colette Franklin in a taxi from Harwich to Colchester. In her statement, she mentioned that while they were on the road, a police car passed by and the man in the couple slid down in his seat.
Two fresh allegations have been brought against Constance Marten and Mark Gordon.
Razvan Palcu, who works as a taxi driver, transported them from Colchester to East Ham. He remembered seeing Gordon holding the baby in his coat during the ride.
He stated that as they approached the conclusion of Colchester's primary thoroughfare, the woman mentioned the requirement of extracting her spouse from the Castle Pub.
When I saw the man enter, he unzipped his jacket and removed a baby from within. He then handed the baby over to the woman.
Reports suggest that the two individuals were responsible for the death of the infant, who was given the name Victoria. They are being accused of causing the death through their carelessness by not providing the necessary nourishment and adequate protection from the cold.
Marten and Gordon have been charged with bringing their new-born baby on a camping trip to the freezing South Downs in January and February 2023. They did this with the selfish intention of preventing the authorities from taking their child into custody.
Gordon maintains that the infant passed away on January 9th and was properly cared for, receiving ample food, warmth, and protection from moisture throughout her brief time alive. Marten reported to law enforcement that she held onto the baby's corpse as she thought over whether to organize a DIY funeral or cremation, but ultimately opted to pursue an autopsy to identify the underlying cause of death.
Marten and Gordon refuse to accept that they are guilty of manslaughter through extreme carelessness, obstructing the legal process, hiding the birth of a baby, mistreating a child, and being responsible for a child's death.
