Man jailed for 20 years for murder of pregnant mother-of-two

The man who beat pregnant mother-of-two Sarah Montgomery to death has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years for murder and child destruction.

Sarah Montgomery, 27, was 32 weeks pregnant when she was murdered by her on-off partner Zak Hughes in her flat in Donaghadee, County Down, in June 2025.

He was the father of Sarah's two children, girls aged five and seven, and the unborn baby boy who died in the attack.

Hughes, 29, from Ardglen Place in Ardoyne, Belfast, pleaded guilty to both charges in June 2026. The judge told Hughes he was guilty of the "brutal, completely unjustified murder of a defenceless, heavily pregnant mother".

Warning: This article contains graphic details that some readers may find distressing.

Sarah's body was discovered by her grandfather. She was found her lying face down, covered in blood in the hallway of her home. There were bloodstains throughout the flat.

On Friday, her grandfather sat alongside other family members in the public gallery and listened as the judge passed down her sentence.

Standing in the dock wearing a white t-shirt and black glasses, Hughes showed no emotion as sentence was passed at Belfast Crown Court.

Madam Justice McBride told him: "When she confronted you with your lies and deception you relentlessly and savagely beat her to death.

"When she screamed out for mercy, you continued to strike her at least 59 times until you killed her and her unborn child."

The judge said Sarah's children now had to "live with the devastating impact of losing their mother, knowing that their mother was murdered by you, their own father".

Madam Justice McBride added that the murder was "yet another femicide" in Northern Ireland.

"Sarah is not just a statistic. Everyone who knew Sarah spoke loudly of their love and support for her, and the depth of friendship that they shared with her.

"She was a much-loved 27-year-old mother of two young children, a devoted sister, a granddaughter, and a great niece who brought much joy and happiness.

"Your actions have caused much serious harm and loss."

Speaking after the ruling, the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) Det Sgt Jennifer Stevenson said Sarah had "everything to live for".

She described her as a loving mother who was "at the heart of a caring family whose lives will never be the same again".

"The brutality of the defendant's actions was matched by his deceit," she said.

"Today, Zak Hughes has been held accountable and will now face the consequences of his actions."

She concluded: "A loving family have been left with unimaginable and endless heartache."

The head of the Public Prosecution Service Serious Crime Unit, Catherine Kierans, said Sarah had been "looking forward to welcoming her baby boy".

She recalled how Sarah had "looked after her siblings after she lost her own parents at a young age".

"A mother, a sister, a granddaughter and a niece have been taken from them in the worst circumstances," she said.

Kierans described the killing as "another horrendous case of domestic murder" and warned that violence against women remained a widespread problem in Northern Ireland.

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