logo
Warning signs of killer mum who dumped dead baby in Lidl bag

Warning signs of killer mum who dumped dead baby in Lidl bag

Daily Record5 days ago
Those early signs of disconnect were there when Marten embarked on student life.
Previous lecturers and colleague's have expressed warning signs a killer mum showed years before dumping her dead baby in a Lidl bag.

Constance Marten had a wealthy, privileged upbringing. But her trial heard she 'never really had a strong connection' with her family and eventually became estranged from them.

But later in life she became a mother who allowed her own helpless child to die in freezing conditions, then kept her body in a shopping bag for days or even weeks after her death.

The Mirror has now reported she displayed a similar lack of bonding with fellow students when she studied to become a journalist.
The aloof personality trait could stand as a marker of how Marten descended into a mother who allowed her own helpless child to die in freezing conditions, then kept her body in a shopping bag for days or even weeks after her death.

Those early signs of disconnect were there when Marten embarked on student life. She had enrolled on a intensive postgraduate journalism course in a bid to become a reporter 10 years ago having already spent some time interning with news organisation Al Jazeera after studying Arabic at Leeds university.
One of her lecturers said, Marten was unassuming and didn't boast about her wealth to her fellow students - but was unable to form close relationships with them.
Marten had grown up with brothers Maximilian, 35, and Tobias, 32, at the 'immensely large' property, which provided the backdrop to Gwyneth Paltrow's 1996 film, Emma, boasts 25 rooms, a ballroom and a wine cellar and overlooks a crescent-shaped lake.

The 37-year-old had been re-tried at the Old Bailey after her fifth child died at just a few weeks old when she and partner Mark Gordon, 49 decided to go on the run fearing their daughter would be put into care, as their four elder children had been.
The both denied charges of manslaughter by gross negligence of their daughter Victoria between January 4 and February 27, last year - but were unanimously found guilty.

The defendants, of no fixed address, had been convicted of child cruelty, perverting the course of justice and concealing the birth of a child at their first child at a previous trial. Marten and Gordon both lost an appeal against those first trial convictions and will be sentenced on September 15.
During both trials, Marten defended her decision to live in a tent with her newborn baby, and said the baby died when she fell asleep after breastfeeding. The prosecution said Victoria died from hypothermia or was smothered while co-sleeping in a 'flimsy' tent on the South Downs.

The infant's remains were found in an allotment shed inside the supermarket bag, along with a sandwich wrapper and an empty beer can.
In an insight into her selfish personality, Marten claimed she hadn't reported the child's death because she feared being cast as "some evil mother, a murderess" and added: "I don't trust the police.'
Speaking about Marten's time as a journalism student, Fiona, who was Head of Diploma Training at the Press Association, said she felt Marten was confident but never really formed a close bond with anyone.

She said: "She stood out and I remember her. During the first few days she stood up and introduced herself as Toots, so we all knew her as Toots, not Constance, it was a family nickname, and she used it as her name, like posh people do.
"She was confident and smiley, she told everyone that she had been in New York taking photos and wanted to become a photojournalist. I looked at her photos and I thought they were really good, she had taken some nice stuff.
"We didn't know she came from money, she never mentioned her family. She spoke well, she had a very posh accent as if she spent a lot of years in private school.

"She was obviously privately educated, she had already done a bit of freelancing. Some people came to us straight from university and others had tried freelancing then realised they needed the basics, like media law and shorthand.
"She was a bit off beat, she would sometimes appear a bit dishevelled. She would turn up in things that looked quite expensive but she wasn't flashy. She fit in with the others but her tops weren't from Primark, although there were no Prada handbags."
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Fiona, who was one of the trainers at the PA offices in Victoria, London, remembered that Marten appeared a bit lost and didn't really have the drive to be a reporter, unlike most people who were on 17-week course for those who already had a degree.
She said: "People on these intense courses often formed friendships very quickly, that often stick throughout their career.
"She was friendly with everybody and people liked her but I wouldn't say she had a close friend. She felt a little bit like someone who could easily be taken advantage of. She was very trusting of people. She seemed a bit lost.
"She wasn't as driven to be a journalist as most people on the course were. She was a little bit lost and slightly naive. She was really trying to do something and have a career and be independent it seemed."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'I was surrounded by Southport attack rioters - my wife and I thought we'd be killed'
'I was surrounded by Southport attack rioters - my wife and I thought we'd be killed'

Daily Mirror

time4 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

'I was surrounded by Southport attack rioters - my wife and I thought we'd be killed'

EXCLUSIVE: Youtuber Wesley Winter has revealed how he became caught up in the Middlesbrough riots after the Southport stabbings where Axel Rudakubana killed three young girls A YouTuber has described the horrific moment that his wife was surrounded by violent rioters in Middlesbrough in the wake of the Southport killings in July last year. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died after being stabbed by Axel Rudakubana at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop in Southport last July. ‌ The mass stabbing resulted in widespread protests and riots across the country - explored in Channel 4 's new documentary One Day in Southport. Wesley Winter, who contributes to the documentary, has opened up in an exclusive chat with The Mirror about filming the riots in Middlesbrough on 4 August. ‌ ‌ What was meant to be a peaceful protest in light of the fatal Southport stabbings turned into riots which were fuelled by anti-Islamophobic and racist misinformation around the killer's identity. Over 1,000 people attended the riot, which saw some smash shop windows, attack homes and burn cars. "We saw a car get burnt down. For me, the most shocking thing was that there was a car trying to get through and people were saying, 'If you're not white, you can't go through,'" says Wesley - who is half Korean. "That was really to see because Middlesbrough was quite a diverse area. "It did seem like it was an excuse for just anyone to break houses and smash windows and target anyone and everyone. It was unfair." ‌ For Wesley's wife Cailin - a Chinese national - the experience proved to be traumatic. While waiting in their car for Wesley to film, she was surrounded by masked rioters who began attacking the vehicle. "They were like monkeys, yelling, shouting and jumping around, jumping on the car one-by-one," she says. "They kicked the windows, smashed the windows and celebrated. I realised that they didn't fear anything. ‌ "My brain was empty. I didn't know what to do because I thought if they see me, they're going to kill me because they were so excited. My husband called and told me to get out of the car and run, but I said, 'There's 30 of them and someone is riding a bicycle. If I run, they can so easily chase me and catch me. I felt like, 'I'm going to die today.' "I could feel the heat, I could smell the smoke. There was a helicopter in the sky. It was like the Walking Dead. I never thought we would see that in real life." Wesley adds, "Stuff was getting thrown. I realised that these aren't normal people and anything can happen." ‌ The incident has deeply affected X. "It was really traumatic because she's not familiar with England that much. Now when she goes to the high street, if people are riding on bikes with masks on, it's traumatic for her," he says. The police arrested 43 people in connection with the violence in Middlesbrough. Wesley thinks that the government could have stepped in sooner to stop the damage from happening. "There was a lot of damage control that could have been done from the government. There was a lack of information at the time around who the attacker was," he says. ‌ "There was so much speculation about who he was and I know there are laws around it but for this particular case, I think there should have been more information to reduce the risk. "People wanted to funnel their anger somewhere and they just chose the streets. It was really unfortunate." As for why viewers should watch One Day in Southport, Wesley says that it adds a different perspective to the horrific story. "First and foremost, it remembers the three girls and the people who were injured at what happened in Southport," he says. "I think it isn't spoken about enough that the number of people who died could have been higher."

Tale of two Bali drug mules as Angel Delight trio get hope while gran gets death
Tale of two Bali drug mules as Angel Delight trio get hope while gran gets death

Daily Mirror

time5 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Tale of two Bali drug mules as Angel Delight trio get hope while gran gets death

For 12 long years, British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford has remained on death row in Indonesia for charges of drug smuggling. Now, the so-called Angel Delight smugglers could walk free in a matter of months, despite being convicted of similar charges When a British trio of drug mules were first caught smuggling more than 900 grams of cocaine into Bali in Angel Delight packets, it was feared they could face the firing squad. ‌ In a move that has no doubt shocked and delighted Lisa Stocker, 39, her partner, Jon Collyer, 39, and accomplice Phineas Float, 31, in equal measure, they have instead been sentenced to just one year in jail, meaning they could soon be back on British soil. ‌ The three from East Sussex pleaded guilty to smuggling £300,000 worth of cocaine after they were arrested in Bali's international airport on February 1, following a routine X-Ray bag search. Ten Angel Delight sachets were found stashed in Collyer's luggage, which, combined with seven sachets in Stocker's suitcase, added up to 922 grams of the Class A drug. ‌ Float, who was due to receive the packages, was arrested a few days later. But the lenient outcome is a world away from the sentence handed down to drug mule grandmother Lindsay Sandiford. Sandiford, 69, is locked up in the same hell-hole prison as Stocker, Kerobokan Jail, after being found guilty of similar charges. Brits who smuggled Angel Delight drugs into Bali to spend just 6 months in jail Bali death row drug mule nan Lindsay Sandiford in heartbreaking prison reunion ‌ For the past 12 years, the mum of two has been languishing on death row, having been caught trying to smuggle £1.6million worth of cocaine into Indonesia. The former legal secretary from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, claimed she was forced by a UK-based drugs syndicate to smuggle cocaine from Thailand to Bali by threats to the life of one of her two sons in Britain. Under Indonesia's strict drug laws, s he faces an horrific death by firing squad, whereby prisoners are given the option of sitting or standing before armed soldiers aim for their hearts. Executions in Indonesia are carried out on an infrequent basis, and inmates can be left waiting on death row for more than a decade. The last executions in Indonesia took place in 2015, and as previously reported by the Mirror, some 130 prisoners, including Sandiford, continue to await their nightmarish fate. ‌ Before their own sentencing, Stocker, Collyer, and Float would have feared a similar outcome. But explaining the uncharacteristically lenient sentence, criminologist and psychologist Alex Iszatt tells The Mirror their nightmare is far from over: "Unlike many foreign drug offenders in Indonesia who face long sentences or even the death penalty, this case is unusual for the relatively light sentencing. The court pointed to their remorse and polite behaviour as mitigating factors." "But that doesn't make their time behind bars any easier. Jonathan Collyer, Lisa Stocker, and Phineas Float have avoided execution, yes, but their one-year prison sentences will still be brutal – marked by harsh conditions, isolation, and a heavy psychological toll, even for such a short term. "Foreign inmates sometimes fare slightly better, but basic necessities – clean water, medical care, even a decent place to sleep – are often in short supply. These prisons are nothing like what Brits expect. Physical violence might be less common because of their short sentences, but extortion, intimidation, and psychological pressure remain very real risks. ‌ "Health concerns add another layer of difficulty. Lisa reportedly has pre-existing skin cancer, and Indonesia's prisons have very limited healthcare facilities. These prisons are also hotspots for diseases like tuberculosis and dengue fever, while chronic illnesses often go untreated. The mental strain is severe. After the terror of facing the death penalty, the shock of incarceration, even for a year, can cause intense anxiety and depression. Language barriers and social isolation only make it worse." Their surprising sentence comes after Bali relaxed its notorious drug smuggling laws, giving Sandiford a ray of hope that she too could one day be reunited with her family. ‌ Indeed, new legislation means Sandiford's death sentence could be converted into a life prison term as she has served more than 10 years behind bars with good behaviour. Indonesia has recently freed other smugglers serving similar sentences as it relaxes its notoriously tough anti-drug laws. And it's understood that Sandiford is so confident in her chances of walking free, she's started giving away her clothes to fellow inmates. Earlier this year, a source told the Mirror:"For a long time Lindsay was resigned to her fate, but now she's dreaming of freedom. Foreign Office officials have spent a lot of time visiting her in prison, and they're working hard to secure her freedom." ‌ In recent months, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's administration has moved to repatriate several high-profile drug offenders back to their home countries. This includes Serge Atlaoui, who was returned to France back in February on 'humanitarian grounds' due to illness. Meanwhile, in February, Pilipino maid Mary Jane Veloso, 40, also tasted freedom for the first time in 15 years after she was found carrying 2.6kg (5.7lb) of heroin at Indonesia's Yogyakarta airport, while five members of the notorious Bali Nine were freed in December despite being convicted of trying to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin out of Indonesia in April 2005. ‌ Now prison insiders say Sandiford is praying for similar treatment and believes she will be spared a trip to Nusa Kambangan, known as "Execution Island". Lawyers could then argue she should be returned to the UK, where she is likely to go free on the basis of time served in Indonesia. In March 2024, human rights barrister Felicity Gerry KC, who visited Sandiford in 2015, called for her to be returned home to Britain, in light of the legislative changes. She stated: 'Indonesia is taking an important step in recognising the need to commute the sentences of those subject to the death penalty, especially women. Lindsay cooperated with the authorities and explained levels of coercion that should have at least mitigated her position. 'The Government should be taking active steps to ­facilitate her return to the UK, either to serve a sentence near her family or to consider her release.' According to data by the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, approximately 530 people, including 96 foreigners, are currently on death row in Indonesia, with the majority locked up for drug-related crimes. Despite having some of the strictest drug laws anywhere in the world, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime says the country is a major drug-smuggling hotspot. This is partly due to international drug gangs targeting the younger population.

'Pregnant Bella May Culley faces awful fate, raising a baby in jail destroyed me'
'Pregnant Bella May Culley faces awful fate, raising a baby in jail destroyed me'

Daily Mirror

time7 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

'Pregnant Bella May Culley faces awful fate, raising a baby in jail destroyed me'

As pregnant 'drug mule' Bella May Culley pleads with the judge as she awaits her fate in Georgia, one woman recalls the harrowing reality of raising your child in prison Pregnant British teen Bella May Culley is facing life behind bars in Georgia after allegedly smuggling drugs into the country. And now questions are being raised about what life may look like for her and her baby if she is convicted. ‌ The 18-year-old today has issued a plea in court to see her story "through my eyes" – as it emerged she is due to have a baby boy. ‌ Bella – who previously claimed to have been tortured – told the judge: "I hope you understand my story through my eyes. I never thought something like this would happen to me." ‌ While her case unfolds in a foreign justice system thousands of miles from home, back in the UK, one woman knows all too well what it means to become a mother behind bars. Molly Ellis, now 32, was 26 years old and pregnant with her second child when she was convicted of conspiracy to defraud with a custodial sentence to serve seven years behind bars. Just 12 weeks after giving birth to Isla in December 2016, Molly walked through the gates of HMP Bronzefield to begin her sentence. "It was one of the hardest decisions of my life choosing to bring Isla into prison with me," she tells The Mirror. "But I couldn't face being apart from her." Pregnant 'drug mule' Bella Culley pleads with court as baby's gender revealed Pregnant Bella May Culley in court with bump as 'drug mule' teen's dad blows kiss ‌ Molly's journey into the criminal justice system was one full of trauma, desperation and, as she describes it, a "lack of support" at every turn. At just 16, she fell pregnant with her partner Michael Ogbuehi. But just weeks before she was due to give birth, the couple were involved in a horrific assault on a train from Southend. "He was left brain damaged," she says. "He couldn't walk or talk. I was his next of kin. He had no family - he came from the care system - and I had to care for him at the same time I was raising our newborn. ‌ "I completely spiralled. I couldn't work, I couldn't cope financially or emotionally. I was supporting him in hospital while raising a baby. I was very vulnerable. I was desperate. I wanted to be a good mum, but I had no way out." Molly found herself plummeting into a downward spiral following the attack that left her raising her daughter alone. "I got involved with a bad crowd," she explains. ‌ At 21-years-old, she found herself embroiled in a fraud case with a VIP car company after trying to put through a fake transaction, with Snaresbrook Crown Court sentencing her to a seven year custodial sentence five years after her initial crime took place. "When I finally got sentenced, I was two months post-partum," she explains. "Then I found out I could bring Isla into prison with me. Because of my first experience - having to parent while dealing with trauma - I didn't want to lose that bond." But from day one, it was clear that parenting in prison was a vastly different experience from the outside world. "There are only a handful of prisons in the UK that allow you to have your child with you - Bronzefield being one of them. You're completely separate from the main prison wings, but it's still a prison. You're locked behind doors. There are bars on the windows. You can't take your child outdoors unless it's part of an organised activity. Everything is controlled by the prison regime." ‌ Molly describes how emotionally harrowing the experience became. "It was mentally destroying. I was bonding with my daughter everyday, knowing she was going to be taken from me at some point. You get close to your baby, you hold them daily, and then you're reminded that this is temporary." At nine months, Molly made the heart-wrenching decision to send Isla to live with her parents. "She started becoming aware of the environment. She could see uniforms. I thought the kindest thing I could do was let her go." ‌ That handover remains one of her darkest memories. "They bring your family into the visit hall. You pass your baby across, and they walk away. You don't know when you'll see them again." As Bella May Culley awaits trial in Georgia, the possibility of her serving time while pregnant - or with a newborn - is becoming increasingly real. Bella is alleged to have smuggled dozens of bags of cannabis and hashish into the former Soviet Union country of Georgia and is currently being held in prison. For Molly, the thought of a teenage mother giving birth abroad, alone, is "terrifying." ‌ "She's a UK citizen with a UK child in her stomach. Why is no one stepping in? Will she get nappies? Maternity support? Will her family be able to visit? Will she even be allowed to keep the baby with her? These are the things nobody is asking." She adds: "I saw women give birth in prison cells because they weren't taken seriously. Officers ignored calls for help. Imagine that happening to Bella in another country. It's unthinkable." ‌ While Molly doesn't excuse crime, she believes there must be a line between punishment and protection. "If Bella is guilty, yes, she needs to be held accountable. But this is a young girl, pregnant, and potentially alone in a foreign prison." Molly was eventually released after serving two and a half years in prison. She didn't see her daughter again for nearly nine months after the separation. "I didn't want her to see me in prison again. I waited until I was on temporary release. But by then, I had to rebuild everything. The bond, the trust, the relationship - it all had to start from scratch." Her eldest daughter, Ava, also suffered during Molly's time in prison. "She was just about to start Year 7 when I was released. She didn't understand why I left her. There was trauma there, deep trauma. Even now, we're still repairing our relationship." ‌ What followed was years of reintegration, from learning how to parent again to rebuilding a life from the ground up. "You can't show emotion in prison. You can't cry or fall apart. But when you're out, you have to become soft again - for your children. That's the hardest part." Today, Molly, from Essex, runs Project Accountability, a charity that works with care leavers, victims of domestic abuse, and young people at risk of knife crime and gang involvement. "I now go into prisons and work with people who remind me of myself. I know how they got there. We look at their trauma, their past, their triggers - and we offer them employment routes, therapy, mentorship." ‌ The charity is continuing to expand, with plans to gain government funding and help more children and people from underprivileged backgrounds to change their pathway and gain employment. James Pipe, Legal Expert at Felons Assistance, warns that Bella faces one of the "most serious offences a tourist can face." He adds: "In many countries, including Georgia, drug offences carry long custodial sentences, and prison conditions may not meet the standards we expect in the UK." And he thinks it might be hard for her to return to the UK. "This is not a case of the UK stepping in to 'rescue' someone from justice abroad, It's about ensuring that due process is followed and her rights, particularly as a pregnant detainee, are respected."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store