Constance Marten – latest updates: Jury discharged in manslaughter trial of aristocrat and partner Mark Gordon
Aristocrat and partner Mark Gordon denied killing their newborn Victoria while on the run from authorities
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A jury has failed to reach verdicts in the trial of aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon over the death of their newborn baby.
Marten, 37, and Gordon, 50, have been on trial for manslaughter since January after their daughter Victoria died the previous January while they were camping on the South Downs in wintry conditions.
The couple were on the run for nearly two months despite repeated public appeals for their whereabouts. Following their arrest, Victoria’s remains were found in a Lidl shopping bag in an allotment shed in Brighton, East Sussex, last March.
The couple denied charges of gross negligence manslaughter of Victoria between 4 January and 27 February last year and causing or allowing the death of a child. They also denied charges of perverting the course of justice by concealing her body, along with concealing the birth of a child and child cruelty.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC discharged the jury at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, almost six months after the trial began, and following more than 72 hours of deliberation.
Marten and Gordon may face a retrial.
Jury given majority direction
A jury in the trial of fugitive mother Constance Marten has been given a majority direction.
Wealthy aristocrat Marten, 37, and her partner Mark Gordon, 49, are charged over the death of their daughter Victoria, who died after they went off-grid on the South Downs.
The couple had fled authorities in January 2023 in an attempt to keep their newborn child after four other children were taken into care, the Old Bailey trial has heard.
They were arrested in Brighton on February 27 2023, two days before Victoria’s decomposed body was found inside a Lidl bag in a disused allotment shed.
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 jury has been deliberating for some 60 hours.
At 12.30pm on Monday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC gave the 10-strong jury a majority direction, saying he would accept verdicts on which nine of them were agreed.
Jury resumes deliberations
The jury has resumed its deliberations in the Old Bailey trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon.
The pair both deny manslaughter by gross negligence of their baby daughter Victoria after weeks on the run.
Jury have been sent home for the day
The jury in the Old Bailey trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, who are accused over the death of their baby, has been sent home.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC told them to return to resume deliberations on Monday.
Jury resumes deliberations
The jury has resumed its deliberations in the Old Bailey trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon who deny manslaughter by gross negligence of their baby daughter Victoria after weeks on the run.
Jury have been sent home for the day
The jury in the Old Bailey trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, who are accused over the death of their baby, has been sent home.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC told them to return to resume deliberations next Thursday, 30 May.
Jury resumes deliberations
The jury has resumed its deliberations in the Old Bailey trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon who deny manslaughter by gross negligence of their baby daughter Victoria
Jury sent home to return on Thursday
The jury in the Old Bailey trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, who are accused over the death of their baby, has been sent home.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC told them to return to resume deliberations at 11.30am on Thursday.
Jury resumes deliberations
The jury has resumed its deliberations in the Old Bailey trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon who deny manslaughter by gross negligence of their baby daughter Victoria
Jury sent home to return on Wednesday
The jury in the Old Bailey trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, who are accused over the death of their baby, has been sent home.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC told them to return to resume deliberations at 9.30am on Wednesday.