Constance Marten and Mark Gordon: Couple deny killing their newborn baby

Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon have pleaded not guilty to charges over the death of their newborn baby.

Victoria’s body was discovered on 1 March in a Brighton shed after a weeks-long police search for the family.

Ms Marten, 36, and Mr Gordon, 49, both originally from London, appeared at the Old Bailey on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

They also denied four other offences including cruelty to their baby.

The couple also pleaded not guilty to concealment of the baby’s birth; causing or allowing her death and perverting the course of justice by concealing the body.

As the five charges were read out Mr Gordon said “not guilty” in a loud voice.

Ms Marten also denied all the charges saying “Definitely not guilty” to the charge of manslaughter and “absolutely not guilty” to the charges to cruelty and causing or allowing the death of a child.

Both were remanded into custody ahead of another case hearing date on 8 December.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC has set a trial date for 2 January.

Hundreds of officers using sniffer dogs, drones and thermal imaging cameras were involved in the search of woodlands in East Sussex earlier this year.

Victoria’s body was found wrapped in a plastic bag at an allotment site in the Hollingbury area of Brighton, close to where Ms Marten and Mr Gordon were arrested.