UK - Constance Marten & Mark Gordon charged, Newborn (found deceased), Bolton Greater Manchester, 5 Jan 2023 #5

[Cherwell]

I can't believe they had a cat...living rough and they've got a cat! And then add a baby to the mix. This whole case beggars belief!

They weren't living rough at that point though, were they? Presumably they were en route to the ferry port, intending to go to Ireland and remain there. Quite natural if they had a pet that they would take it with them.

 

[Cardgame]

Maybe they were meant to be cat sitting for a friend with an empty house.

 

[Cardgame]

In practice that would mean attracting the attention of an instructing solicitor by going "Psst" or similar, then asking him can you pass this message on to my co-defendant please. Then does the IS or more likely a clerk from the solicitor's firm walk up and down in front of the dock as a go-between, or does he feel it's unethical to hear whatever the other defendant says and therefore call in the other defendant's IS? Let them confer. The judge is right to allow this.

Are you by any chance a lawyer?

 

[Waffle]

Abandoned items near the Peugeot on the M61 included

a bible,

a bag of more than 30 mobile phones,

five used nappies

and a cat in a cat box

On-the-run aristocrat was seen with lifeless baby in a sling, court told

Constance Marten is on trial at the Old Bailey with Mark Gordon, accused of the manslaughter of their daughter Victoria.

www.times-series.co.uk

What the heck! So many questions... is the cat ok? Did they carry a litter tray around with them too or just pour litter on the floor? Did the cat have to live in the box whenever they were outside of the b&b etc?

 

[OliverK]

Wtaf! That explains the cat litter then.

I hope the cat is OK.

For me the WTAF moment was when I looked up about Flower and Dean Street. (The Flower and Dean Walk estate where they dumped the buggy is across Commercial Street, but still.)

If I wanted to write this as a novel, I would have a plea bargain in which the aristocrat pleads guilty in return for all charges against her lover being dropped.

 

[OliverK]

(deleted - duplicate)

 

[Nikynoo]

I can't believe they had a cat...living rough and they've got a cat! And then add a baby to the mix. This whole case beggars belief!

What?

 

[Lolabear]

What?

Apparently among their discarded belongings was a cat in a cat carrier!

 

[Earthwindfire]

I can't believe they had a cat...living rough and they've got a cat! And then add a baby to the mix. This whole case beggars belief!

Lots of homeless people have pets so I don't see it as that strange. Unexpected in the context of this case, yes, but not that odd. Very sad for the cat and I hope it survived.

 

[Alyce]

What?

Abandoned items near the Peugeot on the M61 included

a bible,

a bag of more than 30 mobile phones,

five used nappies

and a cat in a cat box

On-the-run aristocrat was seen with lifeless baby in a sling, court told

Constance Marten is on trial at the Old Bailey with Mark Gordon, accused of the manslaughter of their daughter Victoria.

www.times-series.co.uk

 

[Nikynoo]

Abandoned items near the Peugeot on the M61 included

a bible,

a bag of more than 30 mobile phones,

five used nappies

and a cat in a cat box

On-the-run aristocrat was seen with lifeless baby in a sling, court told

Constance Marten is on trial at the Old Bailey with Mark Gordon, accused of the manslaughter of their daughter Victoria.

www.times-series.co.uk

Thanks @Alyce , that finally explains the cat litter!

 

[Lolabear]

Lots of homeless people have pets so I don't see it as that strange. Unexpected, yes, but not that odd. Very sad for the cat and I hope it survived.

Yes I guess so...mainly a dog as they can be on a lead and walking about. I'd hate to think the cat spent too much time in the cat box.

 

[JumpingFrog]

Wouldn't the chap who stopped (and filmed the car fire) have seen or heard a cat in a box (likely crying in distress)?

 

[Lolabear]

They weren't living rough at that point though, were they? Presumably they were en route to the ferry port, intending to go to Ireland and remain there. Quite natural if they had a pet that they would take it with them.

Yeah true!

 

[Rolypolyoly]

Lots of homeless people have pets so I don't see it as that strange. Unexpected in the context of this case, yes, but not that odd. Very sad for the cat and I hope it survived.

Yeah, I hope up until that point they took better care of it than they did their newborn daughter!

 

[Kelly C]

I'm surprised and slightly annoyed that they are allowed to hug each other in court after all they put that baby through. IMO they should be separated and sat nowhere near each other.

Totally agree with this. It’s as if they are making a mockery of this trial and what about them whispering to each other? Surely it could adversely affect the trial? They could be concocting more alibis… not that they have any but you catch my drift!

 

[dotr]

Probably a good thing to keep those two at a bit of a distance, first chance they get, iykwim, stranger things have happened, half-kidding! speculation, imo.

On-the-run aristocrat was seen with lifeless baby in a sling, court told

Constance Marten is on trial at the Old Bailey with Mark Gordon, accused of the manslaughter of their daughter Victoria.

www.times-series.co.uk

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon seated with a dock officer at the Old Bailey (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

 

[Earthwindfire]

Yes I guess so...mainly a dog as they can be on a lead and walking about. I'd hate to think the cat spent too much time in the cat box.

I'm intrigued as to where they were living in the run up to December. Maybe they had a more permanent residence where the cat had some space?

When I lived in London, more than once I saw people on the tube with cats on leads. They had baskets too so I presume it was as they were travelling somewhere. It was very odd. I think most cats I've owned would want to literally dig their claws into me though if I tried to get a lead on them!

 

[Cherwell]

Lots of homeless people have pets so I don't see it as that strange. Unexpected in the context of this case, yes, but not that odd. Very sad for the cat and I hope it survived.

But at this point they weren't "homeless". They were travelling with a purpose, presumably en route for a ferry to Ireland.

 

[Earthwindfire]

But at this point they weren't "homeless". They were travelling with a purpose, presumably en route for a ferry to Ireland.

Yes, I agree.