GUILTY UK - Constance Marten & Mark Gordon charged in death of baby Victoria, GUILTY on all counts incl retrial on manslaughter, 5 Jan 2023 #9

[Innotts]

A delay till 11am, who would have imagined a delay happening!

 

[Alyce]

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon jailed for 14 years over death of their baby

The judge says the couple have not shown any "genuine expression of remorse", after baby Victoria's death in a tent in 2023.

www.bbc.co.uk

Slightly inevitably given the history of this case, the sentencing hearing will start late.

Constance Marten has only just arrived at the court building from HMP Bronzefield, and needs to see her legal team.

We may not start before 11:00 now.

Well, there's a surprise. Always a first time for everything I guess

 

[Alyce]

From Skigh's link above

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon jailed for 14 years over death of their baby

The judge says the couple have not shown any "genuine expression of remorse", after baby Victoria's death in a tent in 2023.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

Several live blogs today

Constance Marten sentencing: aristocrat at Old Bailey to hear fate

Marten and her partner Mark Gordon were found guilty of the manslaughter of their baby, Victoria

www.thetimes.com

 

[Alyce]

Constance Marten sentencing: aristocrat at Old Bailey to hear fate

Marten and her partner Mark Gordon were found guilty of the manslaughter of their baby, Victoria

www.thetimes.com

 

[Alyce]

Constance Marten sentencing: aristocrat at Old Bailey to hear fate

Marten and her partner Mark Gordon were found guilty of the manslaughter of their baby, Victoria

www.thetimes.com

 

[Parker Knoll]

Okaaaaayyyyy Mayo !
Best of luck

 

[Alyce]

Live updates




2 minutes ago
In court, we are expecting quite a few jurors from both trials to return to court to watch Marten and Gordon being sentenced.
The first jury returned guilty verdicts on charges of child cruelty, perverting the course of justice, and concealing the birth of a child.
They, however, could not decide on the charge of manslaughter.
The second jury did return a verdict, and found Marten and Gordon guilty of killing baby Victoria by gross negligence.

On the other side of the court, there are more than 35 members of the media covering today’s proceedings.

In the middle, prosecutor Tom Little KC is ready and in position.
Philippa McAtasney KC is representing Gordon today,
while Marten has barrister Tom Godfrey for her submissions.

Baby killers Constance Marten and Mark Gordon in court for sentencing - live updates

Constance Marten, 38, and Mark Gordon, 51, are returning to the Old Bailey to be sentenced over the death of baby daughter Victoria

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

MGs Counsel for today

Philippa McAtasney KC | Furnival Chambers

Pippa McAtasney is a leading criminal KC with over 30 years’ experience both prosecuting and defending in a broad range

furnivalchambers.co.uk

A stand out silk of her generation; she is a class act who demolishes witnesses, charms juries and changes the judge’s mind."​

 

[Alyce]

Baby killers Constance Marten and Mark Gordon in court for sentencing - live updates

Constance Marten, 38, and Mark Gordon, 51, are returning to the Old Bailey to be sentenced over the death of baby daughter Victoria

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

After Marten and Gordon were found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter at their retrial in July, the Judge told the jury that they would be welcome back at the sentencing hearing.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC also said they’d been “quite remarkable” and excused them from doing jury service again.

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon jailed for 14 years over death of their baby

The judge says the couple have not shown any "genuine expression of remorse", after baby Victoria's death in a tent in 2023.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

Some jurors are back in court to watch the sentencingpublished at 11:03​

11:03​

Daniel Sandford
Reporting from the Old Bailey


We understand around half a dozen jurors have returned to watch the sentencing of the defendants they convicted after the five-month trial.

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon jailed for 14 years over death of their baby

The judge says the couple have not shown any "genuine expression of remorse", after baby Victoria's death in a tent in 2023.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

 

[Alyce]

Sentencing note suggests lengthy term​

Tom Little KC, the prosecutor in the case of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, has provided the judge with a “sentencing note” suggesting they could be jailed for up to 18 years.

Little wrote: “It will be necessary for the court to indicate the basis on which the defendants are to be sentenced for gross negligence manslaughter, that is to say whether this court is sure that Victoria died as a result of hypothermia or whether the defendants are to be sentenced on the (potentially slightly less serious) basis that Ms Marten smothered her child whilst in an unfit state to care for her.”

Little said the prosecution case is that the court should conclude that baby Victoria died of hypothermia.

He said the maximum sentence for manslaughter is life in jail but this case “should attract a starting point of 12 years’ imprisonment and with a range of 10 to 18 years’ imprisonment”.

Constance Marten sentencing: aristocrat at Old Bailey to hear fate

Marten and her partner Mark Gordon were found guilty of the manslaughter of their baby, Victoria

www.thetimes.com

 

[Alyce]

Constance Marten has no previous criminal convictions but the court should bear in mind her “previous care proceedings” which led to her four older children being placed in care, Tom Little KC, the prosecutor, said in a written sentencing note.

He said although the couple’s convictions for perverting the course of justice by concealing Victoria’s body carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, the judge should not impose a sentence consecutive to that for manslaughter.

Little said as Marten has no previous convictions she cannot be considered for a life sentence under the “two strike” rule. Although Gordon has a previous conviction for rape it was in the US, so the rule doe not apply.

Marten had £18,145.88 in her own Metrobank account when she was arrested. Little said she should be asked to contribute to the prosecution costs of the two trials, a far greater amount than the money in her account.

Constance Marten sentencing: aristocrat at Old Bailey to hear fate

Marten and her partner Mark Gordon were found guilty of the manslaughter of their baby, Victoria

www.thetimes.com

 

[Alyce]

Constance Marten enters the courtroompublished at 11:11
11:11​

Helena Wilkinson
Reporting from the Old Bailey

Constance Marten has just entered the dock with two dock officers. She is wearing a black suit jacket and a blue scarf.
Moments later, Mark Gordon also walked into the dock.
The pair are chatting.

1. Marten's mother enters the courtroompublished at 11:12
   11:12​

   Daniel Sandford
   Reporting from the Old Bailey
   
   
   Constance Marten's mother Virginie de Selliers has taken a seat in the courtroom in front of the news media.
   

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon jailed for 14 years over death of their baby

The judge says the couple have not shown any "genuine expression of remorse", after baby Victoria's death in a tent in 2023.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

2 minutes ago
Constance Marten, with her hair braided, has entered the dock ahead of the start of the hearing in court 8.
She is carrying a dense collection of papers, and is wearing a white top, blue jacket, and a light blue scarf.
Marten is also flanked by two security guards.

A minute later, Gordon enters, dragging two bags of his possessions behind him.
The couple exchanged glances as they arrived, and after then engaged in conversation.
Gordon is wearing a black head covering, light blue shirt, and a grey tie.

Baby killers Constance Marten and Mark Gordon in court for sentencing - live updates

Constance Marten, 38, and Mark Gordon, 51, are returning to the Old Bailey to be sentenced over the death of baby daughter Victoria

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

Gordon has found a barrister to represent him​

​

11:15​

Helena Wilkinson
Reporting from the Old Bailey


Gordon wasn’t represented by any lawyers towards the end of his retrial earlier this year. He ended up representing himself.

Everything became hugely complicated as a result, leading to lengthy delays. We wondered if he would have a barrister at his sentencing hearing today and he does - Philippa McAtasney KC. But for some time he struggled to find one.

At a hearing in August Gordon told the judge that “potentially owing to the negative publicity of this case people are reluctant to take this case on.

“I am not up to the challenge of representing myself,” he said. “I am not competent to do this. It is too much pressure on me."

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon jailed for 14 years over death of their baby

The judge says the couple have not shown any "genuine expression of remorse", after baby Victoria's death in a tent in 2023.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

Marten and Gordon chatting away in the dock as judge enterspublished at 11:19
11:19​

Helena Wilkinson and Daniel Sandford
Reporting from the Old Bailey


Judge Lucraft has come into the court and taken his seat.

Marten and Gordon, who had been chatting, are to confirm their names.

The two defendants are sitting just three metres apart from each other in the large dock in the Old Bailey's Court 8.

Marten just put her hands together in the shape of a heart while looking at Gordon.

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon jailed for 14 years over death of their baby

The judge says the couple have not shown any "genuine expression of remorse", after baby Victoria's death in a tent in 2023.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Skigh]

What a picture this paints !


A minute later, Gordon enters, dragging two bags of his possessions behind him.

Has he brought all his worldly possessions with him as he is expecting to walk free today?