Constance Marten trial – latest: Aristocrat and Mark Gordon accused of killing ‘neglected’ baby due back in court today

Yesterday, lead prosecutor Tom Little KC started his closing speech for the crown as he accused Constance Marten and Mark Gordon of manslaughter in the death of their baby Victoria.

He told jurors that Marten had told “big fat lies” to the court over the death of her child, who was found a rubbish-filled carrier bag after the couple spent 53 days on the run.

In his closing submissions to the jury, prosecutor Tom Little insisted Marten was an “utterly unreliable witness”.

“Lies fell from her mouth like confetti in the wind as she gave evidence,” he said.

He also said Gordon’s silence during the trial was “deafening” after Gordon opted not to give evidence in his own defence. The prosecutor claimed Gordon “didn’t dare” enter the witness box because he did not want to face cross-examination.

We are restarting live updates on this blog with Constance Marten and Mark Gordon due back at the Old Bailey for the recommencing of the manslaughter trial at 9.30am.

Today, lead prosecutor Tom Little KC will continue his closing speech as the crown concludes its case to the jury.

We are now pausing updates on this blog – rejoin us from tomorrow morning as we continue to report on the closing remarks by the crown in the case.

Lead prosecutor Tom Little KC reminded the jury that Marten had admitted in evidence that she was willing to lie.

“Twice in evidence she suggested she was happy to lie to protect herself and her family and that’s precisely what she’s doing in this trial,” he told the court.

“She’s told you sometimes you have to lie.”

Today, the jury heard the start of the closing remarks by lead prosecutor Tom Little KC in the trial. It will be followed by the closing remarks by the defence lawyers representing Marten and Gordon, before the judge sums up to the jury.

Marten was described as an “utterly unreliable” witness by Mr Little, who said “lies fell from her mouth like confetti” as he went through her giving evidence over six days during the trial.

Mr Little brought in a pram to the packed courtroom as he claimed it exposed an “obvious lie” from Marten, who insisted the prosecution had the wrong pram, claiming it came with “sub zero sleeping bag” and a muff.

The couple also lied about using a car seat for baby Victoria, claimed Mr Little, who added: “Why lie about the car seat unless the impression was meant to be that they were more caring parents than was the reality.”

And the jury also heard how Gordon has launched into a rant during police interview, described as “Trump-esque rhetoric” by Mr Little, who then questioned why he had chosen not to give evidence himself.

Marten and Gordon both deny gross negligence manslaughter of their newborn daughter who died after they fled to stop the baby being taken into care like their four other children.

The prosecution will resume their closing submissions tomorrow.

The prosecutor told the jury that Marten and Gordon should not have concealed her pregnancy from the authorities, adding that their four other children were “lawfully” taken into care.

“They were not driven off grid. You must approach your determinations in this case not in some wild west Constance Marten world but in the real world,” Mr Little told the court.

“The obvious thing to do was to inform the authorities that she was pregnant. To engage with the authorities to ensure that they could have care for her, accepting past mistakes.”

Lead prosecutor Tom Little KC tells the jury that Gordon had referred to having his moment in front of the jury “on at least 100 occasions” during his police interview in a rant which he described as “Trump-esque rhetoric”.

However, Gordon then decided not to give evidence during the trial.

“Why hasn’t he told you, his jury, what’s happened unless there is a problem,” Mr Little told the court.

He later added: “He must have felt it was better and safer to leave the more articulate liar on her own.”

Lead prosecutor Tom Little KC reminded the jury that Marten had admitted in evidence that she was willing to lie.

During the six days of her giving evidence during the trial, she said she thought lying was OK on two occasions.

“Twice in evidence she suggested she was happy to lie to protect herself and her family and that’s precisely what she’s doing in this trial,” he told the court.

“She’s told you sometimes you have to lie.”

Lead prosecutor Tom Little KC alleged the couple also lied about using a car seat for baby Victoria, adding the car seat is another “imaginary item” invented by the defendants.

He said there was no car seat found in the couple’s burnt-out car, which they abandoned after it caught fire on the M61 on 5 January.

“Why lie about the car seat unless the impression was meant to be that they were more caring parents than was the reality,” he told the jury.

He later added: “The reality is that Victoria must have been carried around in cars by one or other of the defendants. How is that safe?”