By Lucy Caulkett-
Constance Marten, currently on trial alongside her partner, Mark Gordon, has staunchly defended her decision to live in a tent with her newborn baby, citing religious references and a desire to protect her child from what she perceives as a flawed system.
The couple faces charges after the tragic death of their baby, Victoria, while they were camping on the South Downs in wintry conditions last year.
During her cross-examination at the Old Bailey, Marten adamantly justified their off-grid lifestyle, drawing parallels with historical and cultural contexts. “Bedouin families walk through cold deserts with children,” she told jurors, adding, “Jesus survived in a barn.”
Marten’s statements shed light on her motivations, expressing a deep-rooted fear of authorities taking her child. “I would do anything to protect my child to prevent her being taken by the system that’s abhorrent, yeah,” she emphasized.
The trial also revealed Marten’s privileged upbringing, contrasting sharply with her current circumstances. “I have grown up with luxury, I have been blessed in that respect. I like feathered duvets and comfort,” Marten confessed. However, she asserted that her love for her child transcended material comforts.
Prosecutors pressed Marten on the discomfort of their living conditions, to which she conceded, “I’m pretty outdoorsy but I would rather be in a bed.” Despite the hardships, Marten emphasized that Victoria’s well-being remained their top priority.
Addressing concerns about food and shelter, Marten clarified that their tent living was intended as a temporary arrangement. “It was only a pitstop,” she stated, highlighting the immediacy of their situation.
She denies accusation baby Victoria was placed in a bag
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 said: “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 body was found in a Lidl bag in an allotment shed several weeks later after the couple were arrested near Brighton.
However, CCTV footage presented during the trial raised questions about Marten and Gordon’s preparedness to care for Victoria. Marten’s agitated response to queries about Victoria’s clothing and the circumstances surrounding her death underscored the emotional toll of the situation.
Marten remains resolute in her defense, maintaining that their actions were driven by love and a desire to protect their child.
The outcome of the trial will determine the legal implications of their unconventional choices and the tragic consequences that ensued.