Marten, 37, and Mark Gordon, 50, are accused of the manslaughter of their daughter Victoria who died after they went off-grid and slept in a tent in early 2023.
The child’s body was discovered with rubbish inside a shopping bag for life in a disused shed near Brighton after the defendants were arrested in Golf Drive, Brighton, on February 27, 2023.
On Tuesday (April 15), jurors heard evidence from a chartered ergonomist who conducted experiments on the risk of hypothermia to Victoria.
Professor George Havenith, from Loughborough University, examined conditions as the defendants travelled to the South Downs and inside the tent once there.
He told jurors that he took account of the temperatures between January 8 and 10, 2023, as well as the impact of wind and moisture.
As well as conditions inside and outside the tent, he also examined the microclimate between layers of clothing worn by Martin, the court was told.
He told jurors that if Marten’s clothes and sleeping bag had remained dry, there was “just about enough” insulation to keep the baby safe.
Prosecutor Joel Smith KC asked: “If the temperature goes down, clothing gets wet, sleeping bag gets wet, do we have enough?”
Prof Havenith replied: “No.”
Asked about his overall conclusions Prof Havenith said: “Baby Marten, in the conditions stated, especially where moisture was present in the clothing both in the tent and on the way to the South Downs, would have been exposed to substantial climatic cold stress which would have led to a substantial risk of hypothermia.”
The Old Bailey has heard how the couple had gone to the south coast to avoid their fifth child being taken into care amid a high-profile police hunt for the missing baby.
It is alleged Victoria was inadequately clothed in a baby grow and that Marten had got wet as she carried the baby underneath her coat.
The prosecution has alleged that Victoria died from hypothermia or was smothered while co-sleeping in the “flimsy” tent on the South Downs, despite past warnings.
Marten and Gordon, of no fixed address, have denied the gross negligence manslaughter of their daughter and causing or allowing her death between January 4 and February 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.
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