Aristocrat Constance Marten tells jury her ‘influential’ family who have ‘connections in high places’ including Parliament were ’embarrassed’ she had children with Mark Gordon

By Katherine Lawton[1]

Published: 16:28, 14 March 2024 | Updated: 16:29, 14 March 2024

Aristocrat Constance Marten[2] has told jurors her 'influential' family who have 'connections in high places' were 'embarrassed' she had children with Mark Gordon.

Marten, 36, is on trial over the death of her newborn daughter Victoria while on the run from authorities with 49-year-old Gordon.

The Old Bailey heard that four of their children had already been taken into care and they were determined to keep their fifth child.

Victoria died while they were living off grid in a tent on the South Downs in wintry conditions last year, before the baby's body was found in a Lidl[3] bag for life inside a shed.

Marten told jurors on Thursday: 'The problem I had was I was not just up against social services but family members who were very influential with huge connections in high places including Parliament.

'If they said to social services ''jump'', social services will say ''how high''.

'They were highly embarrassed about the fact I had children with Mark and the fact they do not come from an upper class, privileged background.'

Constance Marten, 36, (pictured) and her 49-year-old lover Mark Gordon are accused of killing their fifth child Victoria by taking her on the run in January last year

Mark Gordon, 49, (pictured) was on the run with Marten alongside their newborn daughter Victoria

A court sketch showing Constance Marten giving evidence at the Old Bailey in London on March 7

Marten added that the unnamed family members would go to 'any lengths' to get what they wanted.

She was asked about lies she had told when giving birth to one of her children in hospital.

Marten told jurors: 'I had to come up with a reason why I was in hospital without having been on an NHS database, no history of myself. That's why I had to have the Irish Traveller background.

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'I knew my family will stop at nothing because they disagree with my choices.'

She added: 'I would be prepared to lie to save my children.

I would throw myself in front of a bus to save my children.

I would do whatever I have to do to save my children.'

The court has heard how the defendants fled with Victoria after their car burst into flames near Bolton, Greater Manchester, last January 5.

When they were finally arrested in Brighton last February 27, they had refused to answer officers' urgent questions about where their baby was and whether she was alive or dead.

Victoria's remains were found by police in a Lidl bag inside a shed on a nearby allotment on March 1, 2023.

The defendants, of no fixed address, deny manslaughter by gross negligence, perverting the course of justice, concealing the birth of a child, child cruelty and causing or allowing the death of a child.

The baby's placenta was found in an exploded car on a Manchester motorway sparking a huge police hunt as the couple spent nearly two months camping in a blue tent in the South Downs near Brighton[5].

Marten claims the baby died in her arms after one night in the tent telling police: 'I believe I fell asleep on top of her.'

The couple had four previous children taken into care which Marten blames on the meddling of her wealthy aristocratic family.

She claims they told a court she was rearing children to sell on the black market and had hired private investigators to follow her as they were 'bigoted' towards Gordon.

Prosecutor Joel Smith asked Marten about Ian Josephs, who she said yesterday is a millionaire who runs a website called 'Forced Adoption' which campaigns against social services.

Marten said: 'He's very, very intelligent, so he can look at how the family court conduct themselves in removing children.

'They have got such a low threshold of evidence that it's very easy from them to take children away.'

Mr Smith then read some of the 'golden rules' from Mr Josephs' website including never contacting social services for help or advice.

He also suggested partners should think 'very carefully' before reporting a partner for assault or a sexual assault on a young member of the family by a stranger.

Marten agreed it was better never to contact social services for help or advice.

A shed in Lower Roedale Allotments, East Sussex, where a Lidl bag was found to contain the body of Victoria

Marten seen holding baby Victoria underneath her coat outside a shop in East London while she was on the run

'Obviously report that to the police but don't go to social services because they're not going help you at all,' she said.

Mr Josephs' advice also says that if social services are trying to take your children back to the UK after you have fled abroad you should tell them to loudly accuse the social worker of smuggling drugs in rubber tubes at the airport.

Alternatively he says the child should say they saw the social worker 'talking to an Arab about blowing up a plane,' the court heard.

Marten said Mr Josephs was being facetious.

'I think he's being factitious - but what he's saying is do anything to stop your children being taken by social services because you'll never see them again.

'He's saying don't let your child get on a plane with that social worker because once they're in the British jurisdiction you won't ever see them again.

'Once they've got their hands on your child it's almost impossible to get them back.'

Marten said she believes there are lawyers who represent families in care proceedings who are actually working for social services.

She said: 'They are local authority puppets- they work for local authorities and parents in different cases so they're not really going to fight for the parent, but there are some great lawyers who will fight for parents.

'There was a barrister that we had, he had been working for social services a long time and his exact words were 'your children are going to fly of the shelves because there's nothing wrong with them.'

Marten burst into tears as she added: 'Once they put your child up for adoption they put them on a website called Coram and it's like shopping with a photograph and description of them.

'I'm not a disgruntled parent who has had her children removed and don't agree with the finding, what I have witnessed is abhorrent.

'My case might not be same as others because I was not just up against social services I was up against family members who have got significant influence, they've got huge connections in high places in this country including parliament.'

The trial continues.

References

1. ^ Katherine Lawton (www.dailymail.co.uk)
2. ^ Constance Marten (www.dailymail.co.uk)
3. ^ Lidl (www.dailymail.co.uk)
4. ^ Follow every detail of the case on The Mail's acclaimed podcast The Trial (podcasts.apple.com)
5. ^ Brighton (www.dailymail.co.uk)