- https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-64817611
''What we learned from the police statement
If you need a recap, this is what we have been told by police this evening:- Officers discovered a baby's remains in a wooded area this afternoon, after three days of searching for the missing child of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon
- The body was found near to where Marten and Gordon were arrested on Monday evening in the Fiveways area of Brighton
- Police have not confirmed the baby is theirs and said a post-mortem examination would take place
- The area where the body was found is being treated as a crime scene
- Det Supt Lewis Basford of the Met Police said it is "the news that we did not want to hear". He added that police would "do everything we can" to find out what had happened
- He asked that members of the public refrain from speculation
- Marten and Gordon remain in custody after a 36-hour detention extension was granted by Brighton Magistrates' Court
- Ch Supt James Collis of Sussex Police said he sent his "heartfelt condolences" following the outcome of the search
- He added that the conclusion of the search would be "heartbreaking for the local community", and thanked "the public, the huge number of people who came forward with information and those that have volunteered to assist with the searches"
UK - Constance Marten & Mark Gordon charged, Newborn (found deceased), Bolton Greater Manchester, 5 Jan 2023 #4
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Reference: UK Contempt of Court Act 1981
In the UK, the moment a person is under arrest, and throughout the entire judicial process up to appeal, sub judice comes into effect.
Sub judice is covered under Contempt of Court. If a post is considered sub judice by Mods or Admin it will be removed.
Any member who continues to post sub judice will be permanently banned from the discussion.
If a post includes any of the following, it is sub judice.
Anything that may prejudice the accused’s right to a fair trial
Any suggestion, opinion, or direct accusation that the accused is either guilty OR innocent
(i.e. the accused cannot be called "the killer"; use "the accused", "the alleged killer", or "the defendant")
A defendant’s previous history of any offences is off limits
Scandalizing the court (disparaging judges, lawyers, any officer of the Court) is off limits
Broadcasting anything about proceedings which happen in the jury's absence is off limits
Any non compliance with an Order of the court is off limits
Note in the event of an Appeal subsequent to verdict:
Appeals are usually heard by senior judges who are not likely to be influenced by the media, therefore responsible comment is usually considered acceptable once a trial has concluded, regardless of if there is going to be an appeal.
Reference: UK Contempt of Court Act 1981
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rightsaidfred
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An ex of CM has gone to the Sun, and much like CM's father he seems to view the Nigerian cult as a pivotal moment in her life
www.thesun.co.uk
Yesterday her ex Francis Agolo, 44, said: “She would clam up when talking about her time there. I don’t know if something bad happened but it seemed a traumatic experience.”
Marten told Cosmopolitan magazine in 2013 that she was in a dorm with 50 girls watched by armed guards, starved, woken at night for biblical readings and made to call the leader “Daddy”.
She said: “The leader looked me in the eye and said, ‘Your family doesn’t matter anymore. I’m your father now.”
Francis, of Hackney, East London, said: “When I knew Constance, she was caring and loving. It seems very out of character.”
I don't know about anyone else but I can't remember seeing, and nor did a quick search throw up, the referenced Cosmo article. But the Sun isn't known for its accurate reporting.
Runaway mum Constance Marten was 'groomed' by evil Nigerian sect leader
RUNAWAY mum Constance Marten was “groomed” by a Nigerian sect leader. Marten, 35 — charged with manslaughter alongside lover Mark Gordon, 48 — was sent to a compound near Lagos for six months as a …
www.thesun.co.uk
Yesterday her ex Francis Agolo, 44, said: “She would clam up when talking about her time there. I don’t know if something bad happened but it seemed a traumatic experience.”
Marten told Cosmopolitan magazine in 2013 that she was in a dorm with 50 girls watched by armed guards, starved, woken at night for biblical readings and made to call the leader “Daddy”.
She said: “The leader looked me in the eye and said, ‘Your family doesn’t matter anymore. I’m your father now.”
Francis, of Hackney, East London, said: “When I knew Constance, she was caring and loving. It seems very out of character.”
I don't know about anyone else but I can't remember seeing, and nor did a quick search throw up, the referenced Cosmo article. But the Sun isn't known for its accurate reporting.
Last edited:
Haveyoufedthecat
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I'm not sure how things work in Courts but I'll presume a trial would be this year and it will be a Crown Court? Having said that I've no doubt there is a massive amount of evidence to collate
I read this yesterday and although the sun can't be trusted with their wording I did notice it said "sent to a compound near Lagos as a wayward teen" like it was some kind of punishment for her! If that is the case no wonder it messed her up and her family relationshipsAn ex of CM has gone to the Sun, and much like CM's father he seems to view the Nigerian cult as a pivotal moment in her life
Runaway mum Constance Marten was 'groomed' by evil Nigerian sect leader
RUNAWAY mum Constance Marten was “groomed” by a Nigerian sect leader. Marten, 35 — charged with manslaughter alongside lover Mark Gordon, 48 — was sent to a compound near Lagos for six months as a …
Yesterday her ex Francis Agolo, 44, said: “She would clam up when talking about her time there. I don’t know if something bad happened but it seemed a traumatic experience.”
Marten told Cosmopolitan magazine in 2013 that she was in a dorm with 50 girls watched by armed guards, starved, woken at night for biblical readings and made to call the leader “Daddy”.
She said: “The leader looked me in the eye and said, ‘Your family doesn’t matter anymore. I’m your father now.”
Francis, of Hackney, East London, said: “When I knew Constance, she was caring and loving. It seems very out of character.”
I don't know about anyone else but I can't remember seeing, and nor did a quick search throw up, the referenced Cosmo article. But the Sun isn't known for its accurate reporting.
CaptainNancy
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It will be Crown Court, yes, the case has been referred to the Central Criminal Court aka the Old Bailey.
No indication of timescale. The first hearing on March 31st will be case management, not the actual trial. Though they might set a trial date at that hearing. It is not unusual for trials to be scheduled for a year ahead.
IME defendants often appear at these initial hearings by video.
bladeaok
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This seems to contradict her saying that she went there voluntarily while working for Al Jazeera to make a documentary. It says on her Linked In profile that she pitched the documentary and then contacted ex members to "gather first hand information", if she'd been there in her teens she'd have first hand information herself?Runaway mum Constance Marten was 'groomed' by evil Nigerian sect leader
RUNAWAY mum Constance Marten was “groomed” by a Nigerian sect leader. Marten, 35 — charged with manslaughter alongside lover Mark Gordon, 48 — was sent to a compound near Lagos for six months as a …
I thought I’d seen it reported she joined the cult as an adult, as a journalist investigating it? JMO. If she was sent as a teen by her parents, that puts a very different spin on it.
rightsaidfred
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To be honest I think the Sun is misreporting how she ended up there
My understanding is that she joined the cult, escaped, and while later working for Al Jazeera she wanted to create a documentary about it.
I don't think she wanted to say on her LinkedIn that she'd been a member of a cult herself - it's a bit eyebrow raising in a professional career. It's also hard to be both journalist and journalistic subject at the same time; you'd want multiple people to interview to make a good documentary anyway.
Napier Marten has previously said she was there for 6 months in 2006/7
Missing aristocrat's dad 'wants police to investigate Nigerian cult she joined' and she was born in 1987 so that puts her around age 19/20
She then went to Uni of Leeds 2008-12 and her first substantive job after graduating was 10 months at Al Jazeera where she pitched the documentary
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/constance-marten-93a6ab9a
I very much doubt that her family sent her there. It just seems far fetched to me. Seems more like a particularly ill advised gap year trip to me.
It's far from the first time the Sun has written something inaccurate so I really wouldn't take that line seriously.
I think I agree with you! The sun is renowned for its sensationalist journalism!! (To put it mildly!!!)
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BaronessWombat
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Yes, I'm reading it as she went there as a teen and returned as an adult journalist. I'm wondering if this article appearing now has been arranged by her legal team to gain sympathy?
rightsaidfred
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A KC is not going around digging up an old ex and getting them to go to the Sun with a rehash of information that's already in the public domain and has been for weeks.
To what end would a KC do that - hoping that the jury will hear this at some point prior to jury selection and they'll be lenient? Sounds like jury tampering to me.
This is just an ex who has realised he can make a bit of money by selling his story to a tabloid.
CaptainNancy
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A legal team might well use speculation and gossip hashed about online to argue that a fair trial is not possible, hence the need for WS to stick strictly to the Sub Judice rules.
It is taken seriously in the courts, and by the established press and is why actual reporting or media discussion on a case usually dies right down after charges are brought, and is restricted to reporting ongoing court proceedings, or any further arrests, for example.
It is taken seriously in the courts, and by the established press and is why actual reporting or media discussion on a case usually dies right down after charges are brought, and is restricted to reporting ongoing court proceedings, or any further arrests, for example.
TB Joshua prepares to heal someone as his ‘disciples’ look on
(Screengrab
The dorm rooms ‘disciples’ would sleep in, with lights on 24/7, which Mr Hurst believes was to ensure new members would be more susceptible to brainwashing
(Screengrab)
rbbm lengthy article.
Abuse at the hands of ‘phoney prophet’: Inside cult linked to Constance Marten
Constance Marten’s friends say she wasn’t the same after her time in the cult
www.independent.co.uk
After leaving the church, Ms Marten spoke about experiencing paranormal activity after meditation, which became so out of control that she once collapsed on the floor laughing while queueing in Starbucks.''
''Ex-disciple and former British soldier Joe Hurst joined the group in Lagos in 2006. Although he left before Ms Marten joined later that year, he told The Independent that she got in touch with him some six years later because she wanted to do a documentary about the church.
Mr Hurst, who now lives in India, said Ms Marten had told him that white disciples would often be targeted and humiliated by TB Joshua.''
“She said she played along but it was really weird. She said it was humiliating. Her take was that it was the white British people who were typically humiliated in this way,” Mr Hurst told The Independent.''
''Referring to the incident with the leftovers, he added: “It was taken as a big honour to eat his food.”
Mr Hurst said he advised Ms Marten, who he knows by her nickname Toots, against running the documentary on the cult, where disciples sleep in gender-separated dorms of around 50 bunkbeds, with lights left on at all hours of the day.''
Matthew McNaught, the author of the book Immanuel, which details the secrets of the African megachurch and others like it, said Ms Marten had contacted him in 2011 seeking help in response to one of his blogs about the manipulative nature of the cult.''
''Mr McNaught revealed that in a method typical of cults, new disciples would initially be “love-bombed” – a term that describes extremely kind and friendly behaviour from a group or individual, which later becomes abusive and manipulative – by TB Joshua.''
Sounds absolutely hideous... especially the paranormal bit AFTER leaving. Very very bizarreView attachment 407128
TB Joshua prepares to heal someone as his ‘disciples’ look on
(Screengrab
View attachment 407127
The dorm rooms ‘disciples’ would sleep in, with lights on 24/7, which Mr Hurst believes was to ensure new members would be more susceptible to brainwashing
(Screengrab)
rbbm lengthy article.
''On one occasion, the 35-year-old was apparently forced to eat the leftovers of the church’s “prophet” and controversial leader, TB Joshua. Another time, she was placed in social exile – the customary punishment for disciples who were not “focused enough” on the church leader, or who spoke about their former lives.Abuse at the hands of ‘phoney prophet’: Inside cult linked to Constance Marten
Constance Marten’s friends say she wasn’t the same after her time in the cult
After leaving the church, Ms Marten spoke about experiencing paranormal activity after meditation, which became so out of control that she once collapsed on the floor laughing while queueing in Starbucks.''
''Ex-disciple and former British soldier Joe Hurst joined the group in Lagos in 2006. Although he left before Ms Marten joined later that year, he told The Independent that she got in touch with him some six years later because she wanted to do a documentary about the church.
Mr Hurst, who now lives in India, said Ms Marten had told him that white disciples would often be targeted and humiliated by TB Joshua.''
“She said she played along but it was really weird. She said it was humiliating. Her take was that it was the white British people who were typically humiliated in this way,” Mr Hurst told The Independent.''
''Referring to the incident with the leftovers, he added: “It was taken as a big honour to eat his food.”
Mr Hurst said he advised Ms Marten, who he knows by her nickname Toots, against running the documentary on the cult, where disciples sleep in gender-separated dorms of around 50 bunkbeds, with lights left on at all hours of the day.''
Matthew McNaught, the author of the book Immanuel, which details the secrets of the African megachurch and others like it, said Ms Marten had contacted him in 2011 seeking help in response to one of his blogs about the manipulative nature of the cult.''
''Mr McNaught revealed that in a method typical of cults, new disciples would initially be “love-bombed” – a term that describes extremely kind and friendly behaviour from a group or individual, which later becomes abusive and manipulative – by TB Joshua.''
iamshadow21
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That sounds like a reaction to some kind of hallucinatory phenomenon to me. MOO
elliefant
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So she joined as an adult in 2006 (not as a teen punishment as speculated elsewhere) and had left by 2012 when she was contacting other former members to add their stories to hers for a journalism piece.
View attachment 407128
TB Joshua prepares to heal someone as his ‘disciples’ look on
(Screengrab
View attachment 407127
The dorm rooms ‘disciples’ would sleep in, with lights on 24/7, which Mr Hurst believes was to ensure new members would be more susceptible to brainwashing
(Screengrab)
rbbm lengthy article.
''On one occasion, the 35-year-old was apparently forced to eat the leftovers of the church’s “prophet” and controversial leader, TB Joshua. Another time, she was placed in social exile – the customary punishment for disciples who were not “focused enough” on the church leader, or who spoke about their former lives.Abuse at the hands of ‘phoney prophet’: Inside cult linked to Constance Marten
Constance Marten’s friends say she wasn’t the same after her time in the cult
After leaving the church, Ms Marten spoke about experiencing paranormal activity after meditation, which became so out of control that she once collapsed on the floor laughing while queueing in Starbucks.''
''Ex-disciple and former British soldier Joe Hurst joined the group in Lagos in 2006. Although he left before Ms Marten joined later that year, he told The Independent that she got in touch with him some six years later because she wanted to do a documentary about the church.
Mr Hurst, who now lives in India, said Ms Marten had told him that white disciples would often be targeted and humiliated by TB Joshua.''
“She said she played along but it was really weird. She said it was humiliating. Her take was that it was the white British people who were typically humiliated in this way,” Mr Hurst told The Independent.''
''Referring to the incident with the leftovers, he added: “It was taken as a big honour to eat his food.”
Mr Hurst said he advised Ms Marten, who he knows by her nickname Toots, against running the documentary on the cult, where disciples sleep in gender-separated dorms of around 50 bunkbeds, with lights left on at all hours of the day.''
Matthew McNaught, the author of the book Immanuel, which details the secrets of the African megachurch and others like it, said Ms Marten had contacted him in 2011 seeking help in response to one of his blogs about the manipulative nature of the cult.''
''Mr McNaught revealed that in a method typical of cults, new disciples would initially be “love-bombed” – a term that describes extremely kind and friendly behaviour from a group or individual, which later becomes abusive and manipulative – by TB Joshua.''
Immanuel|Paperback
At what point does faith turn into tyranny? In Immanuel, winner of the inaugural Fitzcarraldo Editions Essay Prize, Matthew McNaught explores his upbringing in an evangelical Christian community in Winchester. As he moved away from the faith of his childhood in the early 2000s, a group...
In reconnecting with his old friends, McNaught realized that their journey into this cult-like community was directly connected to the teachings and tendencies of the church of their childhood. Yet speaking to them awakened a yearning for this church that, despite everything, he couldn’t shake off. Was the church’s descent into hubris and division separable from the fellowship and mutual sustenance of its early years? Was it possible to find community and connection without dogma and tribalism? Blending essay, memoir and reportage, Immanuel is an exceptional debut about community, doubt, and the place of faith in the twenty-first century.''
Attachments
Runaway aristocrat Constance Marten was 'groomed by Nigerian sect leader' after being sent to 'compound near Lagos for six months as a teenager'
- Marten was allegedly forced to stay in a sect led by Nigerian pastor TB Joshua
- She was starved, watched by armed guards and made to call Joshua 'daddy'
One ex-partner said her time there had left her traumatised, while a former member of the same cult revealed she would have been forced to take part in 'intense' work while on the compound.
Constance Marten was 'groomed by Nigerian sect leader as a teenager'
Constance Marten (pictured), 35, spent six months in a compound near the country's capital of Lagos as a teen where she was forced to stay in a dormitory of 50 girls.
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