Key Points

• Life Sentence: Derek Martin, 67, received a life sentence with a minimum term of 29 years (reduced to 26 years, 7 months, and 7 days for time served) for murdering Chloe Bashford (30) and Josh Bashford (33) in their Newhaven home on June 9, 2023.
• Motive and Mental Health Claim: The fatal attack allegedly erupted during an argument over money. Martin later claimed diminished responsibility due to depression, but a jury found him fully accountable for his actions.
• Post-Murder Actions: Following the killings, Martin shockingly picked up the couple’s four children from school, took them to Costa Coffee and McDonald’s, then dropped them at their grandmother’s house before confessing at a police station.
• Family Reactions: Loved ones described Chloe and Josh as devoted parents and kind-hearted people, expressing immense grief. The case has reignited discussions about the role of mental health defenses in violent crimes.

Overview of the Newhaven Double Murder

What started as an ordinary morning in Newhaven turned into one of the most harrowing domestic tragedies in East Sussex’s recent history. Derek Martin, a long-time family acquaintance and former husband of Chloe’s mother, had been helping around the Bashford household.

After dropping the children off at school, Martin and Chloe shared breakfast at a local carvery. But when they returned home, tensions flared. According to Martin’s police interview, an argument over money caused him to “flip.” He brutally attacked Chloe, striking her multiple times with a hammer before stabbing her eight times, leading to fatal blood loss.

Moments later, Josh Bashford arrived home to view a car and was ambushed. Martin chased him upstairs, stabbing him four times and strangling him with a rope.

In an attempt to conceal the crime, Martin cleaned the scene, removed door handles to prevent the children from discovering the bodies, and disposed of Chloe’s phone in nearby bushes. He then calmly collected the children—aged 4, 7, 12, and 15—from school, taking them out for food and drinks as if nothing had happened.

After dropping them at their grandmother Elaine Sturges’ house in Brighton, Martin sent a chilling apology text, purchased beer, and walked into Brighton Police Station around 6:50 PM, where he confessed: “I’ve killed two people.”

Public and Legal Impact

The gruesome case left the community of Newhaven in shock. During sentencing, the court highlighted Martin’s calculated behavior after the murders as evidence of his clear awareness and control, rejecting his claim of diminished responsibility.

The tragedy not only devastated two families but also renewed national conversations about mental health assessments, anger management, and domestic violence prevention in the UK.