Family friend murdered our parents then took us to McDonald's - we had no idea

A cold-hearted killer murdered his step-daughter and her husband before picking up their children and taking them to Costa Coffee, Sainsbury's and McDonald's as their parents lay dead. Derek Martin, 67, from Brighton, admitted the manslaughter of parents-of-four Josh Bashford, 33, and Chloe Bashford, 30, in August 2023, but denied murder, claiming he was suffering from an "abnormality of mental functioning".

Last month, jurors at Brighton Law Courts rejected Martin's claims of "diminished responsibility", finding him guilty on both counts of murder. Chloe and Josh were were found dead at their home in Newhaven, East Sussex, on June 9, 2023, and after killing the couple, Martin collected two of their children from school and met all four in a Costa Coffee before taking them to their grandmother's house via Sainsbury's and a McDonald's, a court heard.

On Thursday November 6, Mrs Justice Justine Thornton KC jailed Martin for life with a minimum term of 29 years, saying: "Your attacks were driven by rage and resentment. The murders of Chloe and Josh has caused profound grief to their families.

"As a result of your actions, their families will suffer for the rest of their lives."

Speakingto the BBC, Brooklyn Bashford, now 18, described the moment a killer who they had welcomed into their lives drove them around town after killing his parents.

Brooklyn recalls how Martin had sent a message asking him to meet him at Costa and when he arrived his two sisters, aged 12 and seven, and his four-year-old brother were there.

He said: "I remember he said to me that my parents had had a big argument. Then he just sat down and we talked about football and all sorts really, just completely normal stuff."

After getting in the car with Martin, the group travelled to Sainsbury's, where Brooklyn recalled: "I just saw him get out, run towards the corner, and a couple of seconds later come back, get back in the car. It was weird to me, but I didn't really think too much of it."

In a statement read out in court earlier this month, Brooklyn paid tribute to his "loving" parents and said: "There is not a single day that goes by where I don't think about them."

The 18-year-old said he has "nightmares" and "constant flashbacks" of the day his parents died.

Speaking of Martin, he said: "I will never forgive him."

Grieving mother Elaine Sturges, 65, told the court that her life will "never be the same" after the loss of her daughter and she is putting on a "brave face" as she brings up Mr and Mrs Bashford's four children. She said that Mrs Bashford would have "felt safe" with Martin as he had known her since she was born.

The court previously heard that Martin and Mrs Bashford were reportedly "close" and had spent the morning together, before he attacked her with a hammer and stabbed her eight times, just after midday. He then ambushed Mr Bashford, who had been driving home from work, and chased him into an upstairs bedroom before stabbing and ligaturing him.

Later, after stopping to dispose of Mrs Bashford's phone and drop off the children, he went into Brighton police station and said: "I've murdered two people."

Five psychiatrists were instructed to assess whether Martin could use the diminished responsibility defence.

The court heard that Martin had been suffering a mild to moderate "depressive episode" at the time of the attack.

Judge Thornton said she gave "very little weight" to Martin's age when deciding his sentence. Martin was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 29 years. He will also be ordered to pay a victim surcharge.

He has already served 878 days of his sentence on remand.