3 months ago
A newborn babe woman who died aft being taken to unrecorded in a shelter in wintry conditions would still beryllium live if it was not for her parents' actions, according to prosecutors.
Constance Marten, 36, and her partner Mark Gordon, 49, are accused of respective charges, including manslaughter by gross negligence and causing aliases allowing The decease of a child.
Marten had told "big fat lies" complete her daughter's decease - lies that "fell from her rima for illustration confetti in The upwind erstwhile she gave evidence", prosecutors alleged, adding Gordon "did not dare" to springiness evidence, pinch his "silence deafening".
Their Old Bailey proceedings has heard really The mates went connected The tally from authorities in early 2023 in an effort to support babe Victoria aft their 4 older children were taken into care.
They lived off-grid in a "flimsy" shelter connected The South Downs during past winter, and in her "very short life" Victoria "did not guidelines a chance", The tribunal was told.
In a closing reside connected Monday, charismatic Tom Little KC said: "That is The cold, hard, sadistic reality of this case. There is nary constituent in soft-soaping it.
"Baby Victoria would still beryllium live if it was not for The actions and inactions of these 2 defendants. Nobody other is to blasted are they?"
'Neglected and exposed to vulnerable conditions'
Mr Little described Victoria arsenic a "freezing acold babe woman pinch conscionable a azygous babygrow and 1 vest, nary hat", who was "neglected and exposed to vulnerable conditions".
The tribunal heard Victoria was recovered dormant in a supermarket "bag for life" wearing conscionable a soiled nappy and hidden beneath "waste and detritus" in a disused allotment shed in Brighton connected 1 March past year.
The pair, who had abandoned their car aft it burst into flames adjacent Bolton, Greater Manchester, connected 5 January 2023, were arrested in Brighton a fewer weeks later connected 27 February.
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The charismatic alleged Marten had told "big fat lies", including her declare that a buggy - bought and discarded in London The aforesaid time - had a "sub-zero sleeping bag" connected it, dissimilar The 1 shown to The assemblage pinch a "foot muff".
Pointing to The replica buggy exhibited in court, Mr Little said: "There was going to beryllium immoderate benignant of muff-off in this lawsuit betwixt this version, and this mythical version."
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Not only was Marten's type a "demonstrable lie", it was delivered pinch "self-righteous indignation" arsenic portion of a "well-crafted" enactment to "pull The wool" complete jurors' eyes, Mr Little went on.
The defendants, of nary fixed address, contradict manslaughter by gross negligence, perverting The people of justice, concealing The commencement of a child, kid cruelty and causing aliases allowing The decease of a child.
The Old Bailey proceedings continues.
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