Zak Hughes, 29, of Ardglen Place in north Belfast's Ardoyne, has been sentenced for the murder of his heavily pregnant partner, 27-year-old Sarah Montgomery, at her flat in Donaghadee, County Down. The attack, which lasted an estimated 19 minutes, occurred as one of their young children waited in a vehicle outside. Hughes was the father of two of Ms Montgomery's children and the unborn baby she was carrying at the time of her death.
Hughes had earlier pleaded guilty to murder and child destruction at Belfast Crown Court. During a June hearing, Madam Justice McBride stated that the admissions made a life sentence the only option. The sentencing hearing on Friday drew comparisons with Stephen McCullagh's murder of his pregnant partner Natalie McNally in Lurgan, County Armagh, in 2022. The judge noted that “femicide is a real issue in this jurisdiction”.
Attack Details and Weapons Used
The court heard that one of the weapons Hughes used was a water bottle that Ms Montgomery had bought him as a Father's Day present from their two children. The attack was triggered after she confronted him about lying to her regarding his fiancee's pregnancy. A recording of the attack captured her screams as Hughes suddenly launched the assault.
A post-mortem examination indicated at least 59 applications of blunt trauma, and that Ms Montgomery died following a “sustained blunt force trauma attack”. The prosecution described the incident as “one of the worst cases of domestic violence in recent times”. Hughes sat in the dock wearing a white T-shirt and glasses, staring ahead, while family and friends of Ms Montgomery watched from the public gallery.
Background and Relationship
The court heard that Hughes, a personal trainer at a Belfast gym, and Ms Montgomery, a trained beautician, first met while attending Glastry College school and began a relationship. The relationship was described as having “faltered” and became “on and off” after the birth of their first child. Hughes initially denied being the father of their second child, but a DNA test proved otherwise.
Both of Ms Montgomery's parents had died, and she was close to her grandfather and great aunt, who played a significant role in her life and her children's lives. She also supported her brothers and had a close circle of friends. The family had been due to meet for a meal on Sunday, June 29. Ms Montgomery was 32 weeks pregnant and had planned to name her son Liam Arthur in August.
The Day of the Murder
In June 2025, Hughes was living with his fiancee in Belfast, who was also pregnant, but he was collecting his children every Friday for the weekend. He had lied to Ms Montgomery, claiming his fiancee had lost their baby in a car accident. When Ms Montgomery discovered the truth and texted him, he replied they would talk in person.
On Friday, June 27, 2025, Hughes arrived at Ms Montgomery's flat to pick up one of their children. CCTV showed the child walking to the car and waiting for their father. Inside the flat, Hughes struck Ms Montgomery in what the prosecution described as a “cold blooded, systematic, murderous attack” lasting 19 minutes. He then took her mobile phone, locked the door, and left to pick up their other child from a local primary school before heading to Belfast.
The prosecution highlighted that Hughes's actions closed down any possibility of Ms Montgomery getting help if she survived, or of someone finding her in time to save her or her unborn child. Staff at the primary school described Hughes as appearing flustered. He made several stops, including at Primark in Newtownards, where he bought a new outfit and changed clothes. He dumped Ms Montgomery's phone and keys in one location and his bloodied clothes and water bottle in another. He later texted Ms Montgomery twice and attended a baby shower for his fiancee.
Ms Montgomery's grandfather found her the following day, lying on her side, face down, and covered in blood. Efforts to revive her were made, but she was described as cold and stiff. Hughes was arrested on Sunday and initially denied involvement before changing his story and admitting what he had done.
A defence lawyer accepted that nothing could be said to take away from the horrific case, highlighting Hughes's guilty plea and the speed with which the case was dealt with as a result. Lady Justice McBride said she would take time to reflect on submissions before setting a tariff. A review hearing is scheduled for next Friday.
