A tragic and shocking incident unfolded in Newhaven, East Sussex, where Derek Martin, 67, was found guilty of murdering Chloe Bashford and her husband Josh on June 9, 2023. The jury at Lewes Crown Court delivered the verdict after a three-week trial, rejecting Martin’s claims of diminished responsibility due to a depressive disorder.
During the trial, it was revealed that Martin, who was previously married to Chloe’s mother, attacked the couple in their home. According to Sussex Police, he struck Chloe, 30, over the head with a hammer before stabbing her to death. When Josh, 33, returned home, he encountered Martin with a knife and fled upstairs, only to be repeatedly stabbed and subsequently strangled.
Following the attack, Martin attempted to conceal his actions. He changed his clothes and picked up the couple’s four children from school, taking them to both Costa Coffee and McDonald’s in Newhaven. CCTV footage captured him during this outing, where he also disposed of Chloe’s mobile phone in the bushes of a nearby supermarket. When questioned, Martin told the children their parents had an argument and removed all the door handles in their home to prevent them from discovering the bodies.
After returning the children to their grandmother’s house in Brighton, Martin bought beers from a shop in Whitehawk and drank them at the seafront. Shortly afterward, he turned himself in at a police station, where he admitted, “I’ve killed two people.” Officers subsequently attended the Bashford home, where they discovered the bodies of Chloe and Josh.
During the trial, Martin acknowledged that he had caused the couple’s deaths but denied murder, asserting that he had momentarily lost control. The prosecution presented evidence, including testimonies from five psychiatrists, to counter his defense. Marko Brooke from the Crown Prosecution Service noted that Martin had meticulously planned the attack, waiting for Josh to return and pursuing him upstairs, indicating a level of premeditation inconsistent with his claims of diminished responsibility.
Detective Chief Inspector Kimball Edey expressed gratitude to the children and their families for their patience during the investigation. He acknowledged the immense grief the children have suffered due to their parents’ deaths, stating, “I am in awe at the courage and strength they have all shown following the events of June 9, 2023.” Edey expressed hope that the conviction would help the families move forward.
Martin has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2023. The case has highlighted the challenges faced by law enforcement and prosecutors in dealing with complex criminal cases, particularly those involving mental health issues. The community continues to grieve the loss of Chloe and Josh, with many expressing their condolences to the family during this difficult time.
