Latest news with #aristocrat
Telegraph
6 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Constance Marten's boyfriend is convicted rapist, court told
The partner of wealthy aristocrat Constance Marten was convicted of raping a woman in the United States when he was 14-years-old and received a prison sentence of 40 years, jurors have heard. Marten, 38, and Mark Gordon, 50, are charged with the manslaughter of their baby daughter Victoria, who died in a tent on the South Downs in early 2023. Prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors at the Old Bailey on Thursday that in 1989, Gordon, then aged 14, held a woman against her will in Florida for more than four hours and raped her while armed with a 'knife and hedge clippers'. Within a month, he entered another property and carried out another offence involving 'aggravated battery', Mr Little said. Jurors were told that, in February 1994, Gordon received a sentence of 40 years' imprisonment, of which he served 22 years. Mr Little told jurors that the first set of offences occurred on April 29 1989 in Florida and consisted of one offence of armed kidnapping, four offences of sexual assault and one offence of armed burglary. Discussing the offences, Mr Little asked Det Sgt Ian Valentine: 'Did he break into the house of a next-door neighbour? Before doing so, did he place a nylon stocking over his face to conceal his identity?' Giving evidence, Det Sgt Valentine replied: 'Yes.' Mr Little also asked the officer: 'Was he armed with a knife and hedge clippers?' Det Sgt Valentine replied: 'Yes.' Mr Little asked the officer: 'Did he demand that the female in the property undress?' Det Sgt Valentine replied: 'Yes.' The prosecutor also asked the officer: 'Did he attempt to vaginally rape her?', 'did he orally rape her and perform other sexual assault offences?' and 'was that female held by him for a period of four-and half-hours against her will in the property?' Det Sgt Valentine replied 'yes' to all the questions. 'Armed with flat-headed shovel' Mr Little said Gordon's second set of offences occurred on May 21 1989 and consisted of armed burglary and aggravated battery at a property occupied by a family while armed with a 'flat-headed shovel'. The prosecutor asked the officer: 'Once inside the property, did he beat a male occupant with a shovel about the head?' Det Sgt Valentine replied: 'Yes.' While cross-examining the police officer, Gordon said the convictions took place 'due to human rights violations', he had not been supervised in police interviews relating to them and that he had challenged the convictions while in custody. Earlier this week, jurors heard that Gordon had pleaded guilty to assaulting two police officers who had been called to a maternity ward in Wales in 2017 after Marten gave birth to one of Victoria's older siblings. Gordon had to be forcibly restrained during the incident and a new father had stepped in to help the two female officers before more police arrived to arrest him. In his evidence last week, Gordon, who is representing himself, made no reference to his troubled past but told jurors: 'Everybody faces challenges in life.' He said his mother was a hard-working nurse who was passionate and empathetic and had instilled compassion in him. Gordon said: 'The idea I was underprivileged was not the case. My mother had two or three houses. She always provided for us. She showed me empathy.' In his earlier evidence, Gordon blamed the police manhunt for setting off a series of 'calamitous' events culminating in Victoria's death. He insisted that he and Marten 'put ourselves out' to ensure the baby's wellbeing and 'no-one could have anticipated' her death. In an emotional outburst in the witness box, Gordon had complained they were treated like 'monsters' and dragged through the mud like 'scum' over what happened and had not had time to grieve for their child. Private investigators group engaged Agreed facts were also read to the jury, which included that Virginie de Selliers, Marten's mother, engaged the private investigators group, London Security Group Limited, to trace her daughter in 2016. Jurors were also told that Marten's father, Napier Marten, approached the same firm and a 'tracing company' called CSM Partners Limited to approach Gordon in 2017. Ms De Selliers also instructed a firm of private investigators called Blackstone Consultancy in 2021 to locate Marten and Gordon. Jurors were also told that on Dec 17 2019, Mrs Justice Judd sitting in the England and Wales High Court Family Division made an order, following an application by Napier Marten, that Marten and Gordon's two children were made wards of the court and their parents prohibited from moving them out of the jurisdiction of the court. The wardship proceedings finished in January 2020, meaning the order was not in force from that date. Details of cash withdrawals from Marten's bank accounts from December 2022 to February 2023 were also revealed to the jury. A high-profile manhunt was launched after the defendants fled their burning car near Bolton, Greater Manchester, and went off-grid in a bid to avoid their fifth child being taken into care, the Old Bailey has heard. The prosecution had alleged Victoria died from hypothermia or was smothered while co-sleeping in a 'flimsy' tent, despite past warnings. Her body was discovered with rubbish inside a shopping bag in a disused shed near Brighton after the defendants were arrested. In her evidence, Marten told jurors that the baby died after she 'blacked out' and fell asleep over her after feeding her. Marten and Gordon, of no fixed address, have denied the gross negligence manslaughter of their daughter and causing or allowing her death between Jan 4 and Feb 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. The trial continues.
Times
27-05-2025
- General
- Times
Constance Marten's partner assaulted police in maternity ward
The boyfriend of an aristocrat on trial over the death of their fifth baby was convicted of assaulting two female police officers hours after the birth of their first child, the Old Bailey was told. Mark Gordon, 50, and Constance Marten, 38, deny the gross negligence manslaughter of baby Victoria while on the run from police and living in a tent in 2023. Six years earlier police were called by maternity staff at a hospital in Wales who were concerned about the identity of the new parents, the court was told. When she arrived at the hospital in labour Marten used the name Isabella O'Brien, spoke with a fake Irish accent, and claimed to be from the travelling community and living in a caravan. She was accompanied by Gordon, using the name James Amer, who she said was a friend and not the father. Gordon, who is representing himself after his lawyers withdrew from the case, objected to evidence being given about the assaults. 'It is a statement I do not agree with,' he said. 'It is not real evidence. It is perspective.' The jury was read a 'memorandum of conviction' from a magistrates' court that recorded Gordon pleading guilty to assaulting two police officers in the execution of their duties. Detective Sergeant Delma Jones told the court she was called with PC Sian Beynon to the postnatal ward of the hospital, which cannot be identified for legal reasons. Jones said they took Gordon to a side room where he was asked several times for his name and date of birth. He said he was James Amer, born on April 31, 1987. When the officer pointed out that April has only 30 days, Gordon started 'rocking back and forward in the chair and muttering that he was confused'. He then 'started pacing back and forward and clenching his fists', the court was told. 'His behaviour completely changed and he clearly did not know what to do with himself,' said Jones. 'I suggested he calmed down and sat down.' Jones said that Gordon pushed Beynon to the side before assaulting them both. 'We both had to restrain him and put our feet in front of the door to stop him opening the door as he clearly wanted to escape,' Jones said. 'Mr Gordon opened the door and freed himself from our grasp and started running up to where his partner and baby were. We took took hold of him again and at that point I fell to the floor and my shoes came off. We were telling him to calm down. We were quite concerned at what he was capable of.' 'He was trying to escape. He was continuing to walk away but we had hold of him.' Jones said that Benyon 'deployed' her pepper spray in Gordon's face three times. The father of another newborn helped to restrain Gordon for ten minutes until other officers arrived. Gordon pleaded guilty to assault two days later. Jones said she suffered bruising and cuts on her hands. Gordon listened to the evidence from the dock, often with his eyes closed and shaking his head. He told the court: 'That is not an accurate reflection of what occurred.' Jones, under questioning by Gordon, confirmed that she realised she was giving evidence under oath and denied that 'sometimes you embellish things a little bit'. Gordon commented: 'My memory serves me a little bit differently, because I have nothing to hide … as the jury heard, I do not not mind them hearing the truth, I like the truth.' Jones, who has been a police officer for 20 years, said later: 'I remember it very well. This was the [strangest] incident I have dealt with.' The couple claim they went on the run to prevent Victoria being taken into care like their four other children. When Gordon gave evidence he accused Marten's wealthy family of harassing them with private detectives because they disapproved of their relationship. Victoria was born on Christmas Eve 2022. A nationwide hunt began after a placenta was discovered in the family's burnt-out car on January 5, 2023. The couple ended up living in a tent in the South Downs outside Newhaven, East Sussex, where Victoria died. The trial continues.
