In a deeply sombre ruling, a High Court judge has granted convicted aristocrat Constance Marten temporary release from her prison sentence to attend the funeral of her infant daughter, Victoria.
The 37-year-old, who is serving a sentence for manslaughter by gross negligence and perverting the course of justice, will be escorted under strict security for the deeply private ceremony. The location and date of the funeral remain confidential.
Mr Justice Peel presided over the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, emphasising the profoundly exceptional nature of the decision. He stated that while the application was "unusual," it was justified on compassionate grounds, recognising a parent's fundamental right to mourn their child.
A Tragic Case That Shocked The Nation
Marten and her partner, Mark Gordon, captured national attention during a winter-wide manhunt after they went on the run with their newborn. The couple lived off-grid, sleeping in a tent on the South Downs in freezing conditions in a desperate attempt to keep the child.
Tragically, baby Victoria was later found deceased in a disused shed in Brighton. The court heard how the infant had died from acute overheating after being placed in a Lidl bag for life underneath a pile of soiled clothes.
Both Marten and Gordon were subsequently convicted for their roles in the preventable tragedy. Gordon, who did not apply for release to attend the funeral, was deemed to have played a "leading role" in the events that led to their daughter's death.
Heavily Supervised and Time-Limited Release
The court order mandates that Marten's release will be for a strictly limited duration solely for the purpose of attending the funeral service. She will be transported to and from the location in a secure prison vehicle and will be under constant supervision by prison officers throughout the entire outing.
This stringent supervision is a condition of her release, ensuring no risk to the public and that she returns directly to HMP Bronzefield upon the ceremony's conclusion. The judge's ruling made it clear this was a one-off concession and not a precedent for other similar cases.
The funeral arrangements are being handled by a Brighton-based funeral director, with the costs covered by the local authority.
