A jury has begun deliberating on verdicts in the retrial of wealthy aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner for the manslaughter of their baby.
Marten, 38, and convicted rapist Mark Gordon, 51, are accused over the death of newborn Victoria in a tent on the South Downs in early 2023.
The prosecution alleges Victoria died from hypothermia or was smothered while co-sleeping in the “flimsy” tent, despite past warnings.
The defendants have claimed their daughter’s death was a tragic accident and there was no failure in their duty of care towards Victoria.
Marten has told jurors the baby died after she “blacked out” and fell asleep over her in the tent.
In his evidence, Gordon said Victoria would still be alive had the police not pursued them after their car burst into flames on a motorway near Bolton.
Jurors have heard how the couple fled the scene and went off grid in a bid to keep their baby after four siblings were taken into care.
Victoria’s body was discovered inside a shopping bag in a disused shed near Brighton days after the couple were arrested on February 27 2023. Her body was too badly decomposed to determine the cause of death.
Marten and Gordon, of no fixed address, have denied gross negligence manslaughter and causing or allowing her death between January 4 and February 27 2023.
Jurors have been told the defendants were convicted at an earlier trial of concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC sent jurors out to begin deliberating on verdicts at 12.08pm on Monday.
