A judge has set a trial date for a Brighton man who has been charged with killing a married couple.
Derek Martin, also known as Derek Glenn, is charged with murdering Josh, 33, and Chloe Bashford, 30, whose bodies were found at their home in Lewes Road, Newhaven, on Friday 9 June.
The 64-year-old defendant, of Moulsecoomb Way, in Brighton, appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Monday (12 June) wearing a grey top and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.
He was known to the victims, Sussex Police said.
This afternoon, Martin was remanded in custody by Judge Christine Laing, the honorary recorder of Brighton and Hove.
He is due to enter a plea at a hearing on Thursday 3 August and, if he pleads not guilty, he is due to go on trial on Monday 27 November.
Members of the couple’s family earlier paid tribute to them, saying they were “funny and loving”.
Georgie Last, a niece of the couple, who had four children, wrote on Facebook of her “heartbreak”.
She added: “The most funny and loving pair, you loved each other so much it was just amazing to see what true love looked like.
“You were the most amazing parents to four beautiful, intelligent, and loving children.”
Sussex Police said that post-mortem tests had been scheduled to take place in the next week to confirm causes of death.
