Constance Marten insisted ‘you can’t arrest someone for hiding a being pregnant’ when finally caught by police

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Constance Marten claimed her identify was Arabella and informed police “you can’t arrest someone for hiding a pregnancy” after she was was finally caught after virtually eight weeks on the run, a court docket has heard.

The aristocrat was additionally heard begging “please stop – he’s not been well” as her accomplice Mark Gordon was handcuffed and pinned to the bottom after they have been noticed by a member of the general public.

The couple have been heard telling one another they beloved each other shortly after they have been captured by police, the court docket heard.

In bodyworn footage performed to the jury on the Old Bailey on Tuesday, officers might be heard asking the couple the place their new child child was after they have been arrested in Brighton at 9.35pm on 27 February.

The mom, 36 – who denies gross negligence manslaughter of her new child daughter together with Gordon, 49 – didn’t reply when officers demanded: “Constance, Arabella, whoever you are… right, where’s your child?”

The toddler’s stays have been finally present in a disused shed, hidden by a plastic bag and coated in garbage “as if she was refuse”, the prosecution informed the court docket.

The prosecution allege the couple’s “reckless and utterly selfish” behaviour led to the “entirely avoidable” loss of life of their new child daughter, named Victoria, after the pair spent weeks on the run residing in a tent in freezing situations to keep away from the kid being taken into care.

In the police footage, Gordon insisted “I’m not on national news” when he was approached by police Sergeant Robert Button in Stanmer Villas, within the Hollingdean space of Brighton, after they have been seen shopping for luggage of meals from a close by store. Marten informed officers she didn’t have any ID, however stated her identify was Arabella.

There was then a transient battle as officers arrested the pair on suspicion of kid neglect, pinning Gordon to the bottom. At one level, Marten stated: “Oh my god, I can’t, I can’t watch… leave him alone. Let him eat his food… he’s starving.”

When she was additional arrested on suspicion of concealing the start of a youngster, she insisted it was not an “arrestable offence”.

After an officer requested her “do you understand what you have been arrested for”, she replied: “The last one but not the first two… you can’t arrest someone for hiding a pregnancy.”

Later, inside a police automotive, an officer challenged Marten concerning the child: “Based on the temperature outside which is currently below five degrees we have great concerns for that child. Can you give us some reassurance that the child is OK? Is the child safe?”

She didn’t reply and later shook when requested if she would remark, the court docket heard.

Marten watched the footage performed to the court docket from the dock carrying a pink shirt and black trousers, alongside Gordon in a blue shirt and navy tie.

Giving proof on Tuesday, arresting officer PS Button informed the Old Bailey the pair smelled like they have been homeless, whereas Marten was discovered to have furnishings stuffing inside her jacket.

“She had what appeared to be furniture stuffing. If you imagine the inside of a sofa – like a spongy material that was between a layer of clothing which appeared to act as insulation,” he informed the court docket, including the pair smelled unclean with a “stale smell”.

Shortly after they have been arrested, Marten and Gordon informed one another they beloved each other. Gordon informed his accomplice “I love you babe” in an trade captured by police bodyworn cameras as officers quizzed him over the whereabouts of the child.

Marten responded “I love you”, to which Gordon replied: “Be good. I love you forever.” At one level Marten might be heard calling someone “Daddy bear” in audio performed to the court docket.

Jurors have been informed that Gordon demanded food and drinks when officers desperately tried to search out out if the child was protected.

In police audio performed to the jury, an officer may be heard repeatedly asking: “Where’s your child?” and “Is the baby alive?”

In response, Gordon calls for meals from luggage of purchasing he was carrying and was finally handed some ginger beer, rooster and crisps. At one level he asks for rooster “with mayonnaise”.

PC Matthew Colburn responds: “We are not going to make you a sandwich we need to work out where your child is mate.”

At one level, Gordon is heard responding “what’s the big deal” within the audio performed to the jury.

The officer pleads: “I am worried that if we don’t find your child the child might die. That is the most important thing right here right now.”

Giving proof, PC Colburn stated he would by no means usually give an arrested suspect meals.

“I quickly came to the realisation that they had potentially not eaten for days, weeks or even months and I came to the conclusion it was the humane thing to do,” he informed the Old Bailey.

Gordon was later discovered to have paper wadding tucked inside his jacket and plastic luggage inside his footwear. 

Jurors have been beforehand informed how the couple have been finally caught after eyewitness Dale Cooley recognised them as he was parked outdoors Mulberry’s Convenience retailer earlier that night, the place Marten withdrew some money and Gordon purchased some meals.

After checking a Brighton Argus information story on his telephone, he adopted the couple for round 20 minutes and even tried to talk to them to verify they have been the lacking pair earlier than ringing 999.

“I got out of my car and walked towards the female. She just stared at the ground. She seemed like she was trying to keep hidden,” he stated in a witness assertion learn to the court docket by prosecutor Tom Little KC.

He stated the feminine was strolling forward and “appeared to be in hurry”. The male lagged behind and walked with a limp, utilizing a stick as a strolling help and with a plastic bag tied round one foot.

“I decided I had to engage with them somehow to see if they were the missing couple. I said is this Stanmer Villas?” But neither replied, the court docket heard.

“I said again excuse me is this Stanmer villas? The male replied in a gruff tone of voice with a northern accent” saying “we don’t know”.

The pair each deny manslaughter by gross negligence of their daughter between 4 January and 27 February final yr.

They additionally deny costs of perverting the course of justice by concealing the physique, concealing the start of a youngster, youngster cruelty and permitting the loss of life of a youngster.

The toddler’s stays have been present in a plastic bag in a locked shed at an overgrown allotment within the Hollingbury space of Brighton on 1 March. The discovery got here after Marten and Gordon have been arrested in close by Stanmer Villas.

The trial, scheduled to final till 8 March, continues.