UK - Constance Marten & Mark Gordon charged, Newborn (found deceased), Bolton Greater Manchester, 5 Jan 2023 #7

[Yellowbelly]

"Aristocrat Constance Marten is returning to court on Monday ..... "
I wish the media would drop the label "aristocrat". Where did that start? I've never heard that word used to define someone in this way. It's not necessary, her name is enough.

Looking at the family's ancestry I would say that they are more landed gentry than aristocracy. The Martens aren't titled and CM's closest titled ancestor is one of her great-grandparents, Napier Sturt, the 3rd Baron Alington of Crichel.

 

[Maryanna]

Not good. Hopefully the juror will be better soon. I did ask myself what the minimum number of jurors was to still continue with a trial in England and Wales and it turns out the answer is nine, so even if it turns out that the juror can't continue the trial isn't going to immediately collapse.

If there are 12 jurors, there can be a verdict agreed on by 10;
if 11, one agreed on by 10;
if 10, one agreed on by 9;
and if 9, the verdict has to be unanimous.

So as things stand, two jurors who stood their ground against the opinion of their fellows would be able to prevent there being a verdict.

 

[Alyce]

The Crown Court at Central Criminal Court Daily Courtroom List for Wednesday 10 April 2024​ FINAL 1​ Court 5 - sitting at 10:00 am

THE RECORDER OF LONDON​

Trial (Part Heard)

T20237104	GORDON Mark A	01MP1072723	SUSWM	CPS
	MARTEN Constance	01MP1072723

DTA, Order made under Contempt of Court Act 1981

www.courtserve.net

SITTING AT 10:00 am

For Trial

T20237268

BEAL Fiona

34NA0228622

NORTM

CPS

DEFENDANT VIA CVP - NOT SITTING BEFORE 12PM, Order made under Contempt of Court Act 1981

 

[Alyce]

From the above - looks as though Judge Lucraft is dealing with both cases, should be interesting.

 

[Maryanna]

Looking at the family's ancestry I would say that they are more landed gentry than aristocracy. The Martens aren't titled and CM's closest titled ancestor is one of her great-grandparents, Napier Sturt, the 3rd Baron Alington of Crichel.

She's in Burke's (107th edition) as "issue" of her Mum (p.1122):
"Constance Dorothea, b.1987."

 

[Alyce]

Central Criminal Court​	5​	T20237104​	constance marten mark alton gordon​
Details: Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 10:39 Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 12:15 - 11:01

www.thelawpages.com

 

[Alyce]

Full schedule from today -


www.thelawpages.com

Central Criminal Court​	5​	T20237104​	constance marten mark alton gordon​
Details: Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 10:39 Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 12:15 - 11:01 Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 12:38 Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 00:00 - 12:50 Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 10:00 - 15:49

 

[Yellowbelly]

Full schedule from today -


www.thelawpages.com

​

Central Criminal Court​	5​	T20237104​	constance marten mark alton gordon​
Details: Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 10:39 Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 12:15 - 11:01 Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 12:38 Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 00:00 - 12:50 Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 10:00 - 15:49

I can't see that anybody has reported what's happened at today's hearing, so I imagine the entire day was taken up with legal arguments.

 

[crespo29]

Fiona Beal case in Court 5 at Old Bailey today, no mention of Marten or Gordon.

 

[Alyce]

1 hour ago

Welcome to our live coverage​

Welcome to our live coverage as the Old Bailey trial against Constance Marten and Mark Gordon is set to conclude next week.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates here.

11 minutes ago

When is the trial likely to conclude?​

Jurors in the trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon are coming to the end of nearly three months of evidence, after it first began in January.
It has suffered a number of delays but is now due to conclude next week, with jurors hearing the remaining evidence today.


The trial continues, with jurors expected to retire to consider their verdicts next week.

Constance Marten trial: Aristocrat accused of killing baby back in court - live

Jurors are hearing the final pieces of evidence before retiring to consider verdicts next week

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

Fiona Beal case in Court 5 at Old Bailey today, no mention of Marten or Gordon.

Looks like that case has finished until tomorrow, so hopefully CM and MG trial can continue.

Central Criminal Court​	5​	T20237268​	fiona beal​
Details: - No Information To Display - Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 10:51 Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 10:00 - 11:36

www.thelawpages.com

 

[bobbymkii]

Fiona Beal case in Court 5 at Old Bailey today, no mention of Marten or Gordon.

My understanding is that they're selecting the jury for the Fiona Beal trial this week. They will then look to finish the evidence and summing up for Marten/Gordon then the Fiona Beal trial will start once the jury in Marten/Gordon have begun deliberating.

 

[bobbymkii]

don't you just love the transparency we (don't) have in our justice system?

	Central Criminal Court​	5​	T20237104​	Constance Marten Mark Alton Gordon​
Details: Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 12:10 Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 14:00 - 12:39

 

[rightsaidfred]

1 hour ago

Welcome to our live coverage​

Welcome to our live coverage as the Old Bailey trial against Constance Marten and Mark Gordon is set to conclude next week.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates here.

11 minutes ago

When is the trial likely to conclude?​

Jurors in the trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon are coming to the end of nearly three months of evidence, after it first began in January.
It has suffered a number of delays but is now due to conclude next week, with jurors hearing the remaining evidence today.


The trial continues, with jurors expected to retire to consider their verdicts next week.

Constance Marten trial: Aristocrat accused of killing baby back in court - live

Jurors are hearing the final pieces of evidence before retiring to consider verdicts next week

www.independent.co.uk

Trial due to resume at 2pm​

The final parts of evidence are due to be heard this afternoon, with the court reconvening at 2pm.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates here.

 

[CaptainNancy]

My guess is that it could take a while to reach the Judge's summing up: the Crown and the defence get a draft and can make objections and suggested amendments before it is presented to the Jury. Given the number of legal arguments that have happened in the jury's absence throughout this trial, the Crown's objections to Fleming's evidence etc I would expect that this process could take time!

 

[Alyce]

27 minutes ago

Defence expert admits never carrying out a post-mortem examination on an infant​

Professor Peter Fleming, an expert on infant health, previously told the jury it was “exceedingly unlikely” baby Victoria died from the cold.

However, under cross examination, he admitted he has never carried out a post-mortem examination on an infant.

Challenged by prosecutor Tom Little KC, he said he is paediatrician and not a pathologist but insisted he had observed around 200 post-mortems.

Prosecutor Tom Little KC said: “You have carried out no post-mortem examinations?”
Professor Fleming replied: “I have attended and watched very closely hundreds of post-mortem examinations.”

Constance Marten trial: Aristocrat accused of killing baby back in court - live

Jurors are hearing the final pieces of evidence before retiring to consider verdicts next week

www.independent.co.uk

 

[iamshadow21]

27 minutes ago

Defence expert admits never carrying out a post-mortem examination on an infant​

Professor Peter Fleming, an expert on infant health, previously told the jury it was “exceedingly unlikely” baby Victoria died from the cold.

However, under cross examination, he admitted he has never carried out a post-mortem examination on an infant.

Challenged by prosecutor Tom Little KC, he said he is paediatrician and not a pathologist but insisted he had observed around 200 post-mortems.

Prosecutor Tom Little KC said: “You have carried out no post-mortem examinations?”
Professor Fleming replied: “I have attended and watched very closely hundreds of post-mortem examinations.”

Constance Marten trial: Aristocrat accused of killing baby back in court - live

Jurors are hearing the final pieces of evidence before retiring to consider verdicts next week

www.independent.co.uk

That's big.

Good cross examination.

MOO

 

[InstantCoffee]

Expert challenged on study into babies in tents​

Continuing his cross examination, Mr Little KC challenged Professor Fleming over a study he had written into babies raised in tents – called gers - in cold conditions in Mongolia.
Mr Little pointed out a ger is large enough for families to walk around in, often insulated with wool and heated by a fire.
He said it was “not helpful” to compare it to the “flimsy” tent Gordon and Marten were staying in on the South Downs.
“I was not comparing the tent with a ger I was comparing the environmental temperature around the baby,” Professor Fleming told the court.

Surely if you are in a Ger with a fire in it then the environmental temperature around a baby is going to be significantly warmer than when surrounded by a sheet of nylon. I mean, I'm no scientist but this doesn't seem to be Prof Flemming's finest hour! JMO!

 

[CaptainNancy]

It sounds like an idealogical approach. In line with CM’s protestations about millions of children around the world living in tents.

 

[bobbymkii]

9 minutes ago

Parents deny private investigators were trailing Marten when she went on the run​

In agreed facts read to the jury on Thursday, they were told Marten’s parents had made statements to the police about their use of private investigators.
The court heard that Marten’s mother employed a private investigator for two weeks in October 2016 because she was worried about her daughter.
Her father told police he had hired investigators to find her in 2017 and 2021.
However both deny any private investigator was instructed to find her in 2022 or in 2023 – when she went on the run with Gordon and baby Victoria.

Constance Marten trial: Aristocrat accused of killing baby back in court - live