Constance Marten trial - latest: Judge summing up evidence as court case over baby death enters final stages

Marten and Gordon are accused of gross negligence manslaghter of the newborn

Moment Constance Marten arrested by police

The judge is summing up the evidence as the trial of aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon over the death of their baby enters its final stages.

The couple is accused of gross negligence manslaughter of the newborn, whom they took off-grid to stop her from being taken into care like their four other children.

The Recorder of London, Judge Mark Lucraft KC, began summing up the evidence to the jury at the Old Bailey on Thursday. Evidence recapped so far includes eyewitness Ken Hudson, who stopped to help the couple when their car caught fire on the M61 near Bolton on 5 January.

Mr Hudson previously told the court he fears baby Victoria would still be alive if he had stayed at the roadside with the parents until police arrived. But the pair fled with baby Victoria after he pulled away, leaving their burning car at the roadside along with most of their possessions.

Police later found £2000 in cash, Marten’s passport, 34 burner phones and a placenta wrapped in a towel in the burnt-out vehicle.

Marten, 36, and Gordon, 49, both deny the charges of gross negligence manslaughter of Victoria between 4 January and 27 February last year. They also deny charges of perverting the course of justice by concealing the body, concealing the birth of a child, child cruelty, and allowing the death of a child.

The trial continues.

Key Points

• What happened to baby Victoria was ‘no crime’, Marten’s lawyer says
• Marten found it ‘virtually impossible’ to accept family court’s decision to take her other children
• Parents ‘a touch paranoid’ amid ‘sensational’ news coverage, court told
• Prosecution accused of ‘nasty class prejudice’ against Marten
• What happened yesterday?

[11 April 2024 10:22 · Holly Evans]

Welcome to our live coverage

Welcome to our live coverage as the Old Bailey trial against Constance Marten and Mark Gordon is set to conclude next week.

We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates here.