Constance Marten's Partner Mark Gordon Says Aristocrat Accused Of Manslaughter Of Their Baby Was A 'Good Mother'

The partner of aristocrat Constance Marten told police she was a "good mother" and had "done nothing wrong" when questioned about the death of their newborn baby, a court heard.

Mark Gordon's comments have emerged a day after the jury was told Marten had "debated" whether to cremate the dead baby girl with a "bottle of petroleum".

Gordon, 49, and Marten, 36, are on trial at the Old Bailey in London accused of the manslaughter of their baby daughter Victoria.

The couple went missing with the baby after their car burst into flames near Bolton, Greater Manchester, last January, the court heard.

Marten and Gordon were arrested in Brighton seven weeks later on February 27, 2023. They refused to tell police the location of their baby before officers discovered the girl's body in a Lidl supermarket bag in a disused shed a few days later on 1 March.

Gordon originally refused to answer questions when he and Marten were arrested, but in a police interview on 2 March he started by saying he would give his testimony to a jury.

A detective then told him that Marten had confirmed a baby who was found dead the day before was their daughter, the court heard.

Gordon was also informed that Marten had explained the child died after she fell asleep holding her but that he had advised her to say it was a "cot death", jurors heard.

After consulting with his lawyer, Gordon said that "barring a few nuances" that was what happened.

Gordon told police: "It had to be very traumatic for her, you have to understand I love her. I love her.

"I would do anything for her and she loves children and that's our fifth child and we wanted to have that child."

Gordon suggested Marten was suffering from "a post-traumatic thing".

"She is a very special person. She's an awesome woman and she would never do anything to harm a child under any circumstances," he said.

He told police that they had wanted to "safeguard" the child, the "whole thing" was for her and what happened could not have been predicted.

Gordon told officers: "What have I done that you don't think is right here?

"I have done everything I think right. If you listen to me, I have done nothing really wrong. I have supported my wife. Tried my best to be a husband.

"And I don't think she has done anything wrong, actually, in trying to take care of her child."

He added that Marten was a "beautiful, intelligent woman" and he was a "man who loves his wife".

The defendant insisted there was "nothing sinister" or "dark" and said that sometimes the media made things seem "worse than what they are".

Gordon also told police Marten was a "good mother" who had "done nothing wrong".

It is alleged that they slept in a tent "off-grid" in a bid to keep the baby, after Marten's four other children were taken into care.

Marten and Gordon, of no fixed address, deny manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, concealing the birth of a child, child cruelty and causing or allowing the death of a child.

The trial continues.

(c) Sky News 2024: Constance Marten's partner Mark Gordon says aristocrat accused of manslaughter o