Constance Marten trial: Aristocrat says ‘Jesus survived in barn’ to defend living in tent with baby

The trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon is resuming immediately, with the jury anticipated to sit from noon because the cross-examination of the mom will proceed.

Yesterday, the Old Bailey heard:

• The aristocrat accused of killing her baby defended living off-grid whereas on the run with her new child, telling jurors: “Jesus survived in a barn, didn’t he?”
• She argued their interval living in a tent on the South Downs was being checked out from a “Western perspective”, including that Bedouin households stroll by way of chilly deserts with youngsters whereas others stay in shanty cities
• Marten turned tearful when questioned if she was chargeable for her baby’s dying, replying: “I think to a degree of course, I feel responsible as her mum for her death but at the same time I have to love and forgive myself”
• She strongly rejected the prosecution’s “ridiculous” suggestion that she had carried her daughter in a Lidl “bag for life” when she was alive

Constance Marten is due to return to the stand on the Old Bailey this morning, for the fifth day of giving proof.

Marten, 36, and her companion, Mark Gordon, 49, are on trial after baby Victoria died whereas they have been tenting on the South Downs in wintry situations final 12 months.

The defendants, of no mounted handle, deny manslaughter by gross negligence, perverting the course of justice, concealing the beginning of a kid, baby cruelty and inflicting or permitting the dying of a kid.

An aristocrat accused of killing her baby has defended living off-grid whereas on the run with her new child, telling jurors: “Jesus survived in a barn, didn’t he?”.

Constance Marten, 36, and her companion, Mark Gordon, 49, are on trial after baby Victoria died whereas they have been tenting on the South Downs in wintry situations final 12 months.

While being cross-examined on the Old Bailey, she argued their interval living in a tent on the South Downs was being checked out from a “Western perspective”, including that Bedouin households stroll by way of chilly deserts with youngsters whereas others stay in shanty cities.

The trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon has adjourned for the day and can resume tomorrow at 10.30am the place the cross-examination will proceed.

Further questioned concerning the applicable use of a tent for a new child, Marten turned emotional when she recalled the “awful” reminiscence of her daughter’s dying.

“I do feel responsible for her death absolutely but I do not think it had anything to do with being in a tent, it could have happened in a hotel when I fell asleep ,” she mentioned.

“I don’t think being in the tent was the wrong thing to do, I think me being exhausted and sitting up at that time was very unfortunate yes.”

When questioned “Are you responsible for her death?”, she tearfully responded: “I think to a degree of course, I feel responsible as her mum for her death but at the same time I have to love and forgive myself because it was a really awful set of circumstances but I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

She continued: “I live with that sadness because she died in my arms.”

Speaking of her plans to transfer to Europe with her household, Marten mentioned she was conscious of an “underground network” serving to dad and mom transfer away from social companies.

When questioned by the prosecutor if she purchased into conspiracy theories, she responded: “I’ve had a great education, I’m not into conspiracy theories.”

Marten repeatedly dismissed as “ridiculous” the prosecution suggestion that she had carried her daughter in a Lidl “bag for life” when she was alive.

She mentioned: “This whole line of reasoning is absurd, that she is alive in the bag.

“If i’d done that she would have been screaming, people would have noticed.

“I’m not going to put her alive in a Lidl bag, I’m sorry it is absurd.”

Baby Victoria’s physique was discovered in a Lidl bag in an allotment shed a number of weeks later after the couple have been arrested close to Brighton.

Pushed once more on why they as a pair had made the choice to stay in a tent after arriving in East Ham, Marten responded: “We were in a tent because we cared for her so much, we weren’t in a tent because me and Mark had a penchant for tents.”

“She’s the reason we’re doing what we’re doing,” she added.

The court docket heard that on the time, Marten had £17k in her Metro account and a “couple of thousand” in her Halifax checking account.

Questioned why that they had bought a tent from Argos, she mentioned: “It was the easiest place, it’s not easy to get a tent in the middle of January.”

Judge Mark Lucraft KC has returned to Court 5 of the Old Bailey, and the trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon has resumed.

The trial has adjourned for a lunch and can return at 2pm.

Cross-examination is anticipated to proceed as Marten faces questioning concerning the couple’s determination to stay in a tent final January with their new child.