Constance Marten trial: Baby kept in Lidl bag before being dumped, court told

Helena Wilkinson and Oliver Slow have published a blog post about the Old Bailey.

The court revealed that the remains of a baby discovered in a shed were that of a child who had spent a significant amount of time being transported in a reusable bag from Lidl. The child's parents lived in a way that was not connected to public utilities or services.

Constance Marten, aged 36, and Mark Gordon, aged 49, are currently facing a trial for the death of Victoria, a newborn infant whose body was found in March 2023 after authorities had searched for the family for several weeks.

The defendants' careless behavior resulted in the death of the infant, according to the prosecutors. Had they acted responsibly, the child would have survived.

The duo refutes the allegations.

Prosecutor Tom Little stated to the jury the evidence against the defendants. The couple had four other children before, who had gone into the care of social services after significant involvement from them.

According to him, the pair chose to live off the grid and stay outdoors in order to prevent social services from taking away their newborn. They kept the pregnancy hidden from both their relatives and the healthcare system.

The Old Bailey was informed that the defendants were the only ones aware of the specific date of the baby's birth. However, the prosecution stated that the baby seemed to have been born following the 28th of December 2022.

A car believed to have been carrying a family was found burnt on a road in Greater Manchester on 5 January. Upon inspection, a placenta wrapped in a towel was discovered within the vehicle.

The pair departed before law enforcement showed up, causing an investigation into a potential disappearance of someone who may be at risk.

Mr. Little KC informed the jurors two days after that they disposed of a stroller in London. The baby was then moved and taken within a Lidl long-lasting bag, where it seems to have spent a significant part of its life preceding its death.

During the trial, the jurors were informed that the couple resided in a tent together with their infant in extremely cold and hazardous circumstances. Prosecutors claimed that these conditions eventually caused the demise of the baby.

During the trial, Mr Little KC mentioned that Ms Marten and Mr Gordon used a large amount of money on taxi rides while they were reported missing, rather than using it to secure shelter, warmth, and safety.

According to him, as of February 2023, they had been living in harsh conditions without proper shelter for more than a month. The weather was often frosty, windy, and damp, and there were times when they had to search for food in garbage bins.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Ms. Marten was not present to hear the prosecution's initial statement. It was also noted that she did not experience a disadvantaged childhood and was capable of obtaining financial resources and necessary assistance.

Victoria was seen as recently as February 19th, however, when Ms. Marten and Mr. Gordon were taken into custody on February 27th, the baby was not with them. While the couple was being arrested, officers noticed that Ms. Marten had some sort of cushion material from furniture on her clothes, and Mr. Gordon was still wearing a Christmas sweater.

According to prosecutors, on March 1st, the remains of baby Victoria were discovered in a Brighton shed, inside the very same Lidl bag she was last observed being carried in. The baby's body was concealed among garbage.

The doctors who specialize in studying diseases have not been able to determine what caused the person's death.

Ms. Marten was interviewed by the police after the body of Victoria was discovered. During the interview, she gave contradictory information about the date of Victoria's death. However, she did mention that she had fallen asleep while holding the baby in her jacket, sitting up. Unfortunately, when she woke up, she found that Victoria had passed away.

According to the authorities, she stated that she held onto the body as she wanted a post-mortem to take place. She also added that she had been carrying the body with her and was uncertain about what she should do next.

According to Ms Marten, she and Mr Gordon had intentions of purchasing a flat. However, their plan was foiled when they were identified during their visit to London in search of a property.

She added: "If we want to keep the baby away from the authorities, we may have to isolate ourselves from the rest of society until we can secure a new place to live."

According to Mr. Gordon, their circumstances took a turn for the worse rapidly when their vehicle burst into flames with their belongings still inside.

During an interview, Ms Marten mentioned that they had thought about surrendering themselves and claimed that the baby was appropriately attired to survive outside, but the prosecution disagrees with this statement.

According to Mr. Little KC, the couple prioritized their relationship and personal beliefs over the well-being of their baby. He claimed that Victoria would still be alive today if they had not acted recklessly, selfishly, and cruelly. The defendants' conduct was not only negligent but also arrogant, causing a tragic outcome.

Ms Marten and Mr Gordon are currently facing allegations of causing the unexpected death of their infant due to extreme carelessness during the period of January 4th to February 27th in 2023.

The pair is additionally charged with four different transgressions: mistreatment of their infant; hiding the birth of their infant; causing or allowing the infant's death; and distorting the legal process by hiding the remains.