A man who murdered a young couple at their home in Newhaven has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Derek Martin, 67, of Moulsecoomb Way, Brighton, walked into Brighton Police Station on the evening of 9 June 2023, telling officers: “I’ve killed two people.”
He admitted causing the deaths of Chloe and Josh Bashford, but denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility, claiming a depressive disorder.
After a three-week trial at Lewes Crown Court, sitting in Brighton, a jury found him guilty of two counts of murder on 24 October.
Martin was sentenced on 6 November 2025 to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 29 years, reduced to 26 years, seven months, and seven days for time already served.
“Driven by rage and resentment”
Sentencing him, the Honourable Justice Thornton KC said the murders were “driven by rage and resentment” and paid tribute to the Bashford families for their “dignity throughout the investigation.”
She told Martin:
“It is clear that Chloe and Josh were loving, and loved. As a result of your actions, their families will suffer for the rest of their lives.”
The day of the killings
The court heard that Martin appeared calm and went about his normal routine on the day of the killings — having coffee at Costa in Newhaven and later breakfasting with Chloe at The Stonehouse restaurant in Peacehaven.
They later returned to the Bashford family home in Lewes Road, where Chloe, 30, lived with Josh, 33, and their four children.
Martin told police he was cleaning windows when he “just flipped” during an argument about money. He struck Chloe with a hammer before stabbing her to death.
When Josh returned home, he saw Martin holding a knife and ran upstairs. Martin chased him, repeatedly stabbing and then strangling him.
Afterwards, Martin changed clothes, picked up the couple’s four children from school, and took them to Costa and McDonald’s in Newhaven — discarding Chloe’s phone in nearby bushes before returning the children to their grandmother’s house in Brighton.
He later drank beer on the Whitehawk seafront before walking into Brighton Police Station to confess.
Vital clue from prison
While on remand, Martin saw a Sussex Police appeal for Chloe’s missing phone and passed a handwritten note to a prison officer detailing where he had thrown it. The phone was recovered and provided crucial evidence in court.
Police statement
Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Sam Legate, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said:
“Today marks the conclusion of a long and complex investigation into the brutal murders of Chloe and Josh Bashford at their home in Newhaven.
The loss suffered by their family and friends is difficult to comprehend, and our thoughts remain with them. They have shown amazing strength and courage throughout the investigation, and no outcome will ever make up for the heartache they continue to endure.”
He added his thanks to the public and colleagues, saying:
“While today’s sentence cannot undo the immense suffering he caused, I hope it provides reassurance that Sussex Police will continue to thoroughly investigate major crimes and seek justice for victims.”
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