Constance Marten and Mark Gordon remanded in custody after court hearing

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon have been remanded into custody, charged with manslaughter, after the remains of a baby were found in woodland earlier this week.

Marten, 35, and Gordon, 48, appeared at Crawley magistrates court on Friday charged with gross negligence manslaughter, concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice.

The couple were arrested in Brighton on Monday and charged on Thursday after the remains of the infant were found on Wednesday afternoon.

Detectives believe the infant had been “dead for several weeks” and said it was not possible to tell if it was a girl or a boy.

Marten and Gordon had been missing since 5 January when their car was found abandoned and on fire next to a motorway in Bolton.

The pair will appear at the Old Bailey on 31 March.