Man Found Guilty of Murdering Young Couple, Leaving Four Kids Orphaned
A chilling Newhaven double murder has left four children motherless and fatherless. Derek Martin, 67, was convicted of killing Chloe and Josh Bashford after a gripping trial in Brighton.
Derek Martin’s Shocking Confession
Martin stunned officers when he turned himself in at Brighton Police Station on 9 June 2023, declaring, “I’ve killed two people.”
He admitted to killing Chloe, 30, and her partner Josh, 33, but tried to dodge full blame by claiming a depressive illness affected his mind. The jury disagreed and found him guilty of two counts of murder on 24 October after a three-week trial at Lewes Crown Court.
Martin remains behind bars and faces sentencing on 6 November.
From Breakfast to Brutality: A Day Like Any Other Until It Wasn’t
CCTV footage showed Martin’s seemingly normal morning, grabbing coffee at Costa in Newhaven and having breakfast with Chloe at The Stonehouse restaurant in Peacehaven.
The pair then went to the Bashford family home on Lewes Road, where Chloe and Josh lived with their four young children.
During police interviews, Martin said he was cleaning a window when he “just flipped” after arguing with Chloe over money.
He savagely attacked her with a hammer before stabbing her repeatedly. When Josh arrived home and spotted Martin wielding a knife, he fled upstairs, but Martin followed, stabbing and strangling Josh to death.
Calculated Cover-Up Before Turning Himself In
After the murders, Martin changed his clothes and, shockingly, collected the four Bashford children from school.
He took them for treats at Costa and McDonald’s in Newhaven before dropping them at their grandmother’s house in Brighton.
Meanwhile, Martin hid Chloe’s mobile phone in bushes near Sainsbury’s, only revealing the location to prison staff later via a handwritten note.
He ended his day buying beers in Whitehawk and drinking them on the seafront, calmly waiting until he was ready to confess to police.
Family Ties and Crucial Evidence
Martin was once married to Chloe’s mother but divorced before Chloe was born. Despite the past, Martin and Chloe had built a close bond in recent years.
The murder weapon and key evidence came to light from Chloe’s recovered phone, sealing Martin’s fate in court.
