In a dramatic legal turn, Constance Marten, the aristocrat who fled authorities with her partner and newborn, is fighting to overturn her conviction for the manslaughter of her own child. Marten and Mark Gordon were found guilty after a harrowing Old Bailey trial that detailed how their baby daughter, Victoria, died during their desperate attempt to live off-grid in the depths of winter.
The couple's barrister has now lodged an appeal against the conviction, setting the stage for a fresh legal battle over the tragic case that horrified the nation. The appeal challenges the very foundation of the jury's verdict, which concluded their reckless conduct directly led to the infant's death.
A Life of Extreme Privilege to Utter Destitution
The court heard how Marten, born into a family of immense wealth and privilege, and Gordon, a convicted sex offender, deliberately vanished from sight after their baby was born in secret. Abandoning their comfortable life, they embarked on a chaotic journey across England, paying for everything in cash to avoid a digital footprint.
They holed up in a rented car and a flimsy tent on the exposed South Downs as the January temperatures plummeted. It was there, prosecutors argued, that their choice to ignore basic medical care and shelter ultimately proved fatal for their vulnerable daughter.
The Chilling Final Days of Baby Victoria
The most gut-wrenching evidence presented was the state of the couple's makeshift camp. The tent was described as damp, cold, and littered with rubbish. Baby Victoria was found nestled inside a Lidl bag for life, still wearing the soiled nappy she had been in at the time of her death.
Despite having over £30,000 in cash, the couple never sought warmth, medical assistance, or even basic supplies for their child. A pathologist confirmed the cause of death was hypothermia, with the prosecution stating the infant "stood no chance" given the freezing conditions she was subjected to.
A Web of Lies and a Nationwide Manhunt
Their disappearance sparked one of the most extensive missing persons investigations in recent years. The pair were eventually captured on CCTV in East London, but by the time they were apprehended in Brighton days later, baby Victoria was already dead.
Throughout the trial, the couple showed little emotion, even as the grim details of their daughter's final hours were laid bare. They now await a sentencing hearing, scheduled for later this week, where they face the possibility of life behind bars, all while their legal team prepares the appeal that could challenge everything.
