Why Did Zak Hughes Get 20 Years for Pregnant Partner Sarah’s Murder?

Zak Hughes, 29, has been ordered to serve a minimum of 20 years of a life sentence for the murder of his pregnant partner Sarah Montgomery and for the destruction of their unborn son, baby Liam. The sentence was imposed at Belfast Crown Court on Friday, 6 November 2026, by Madam Justice McBride, who told the defendant he was guilty of "the brutal, completely unjustified murder of a defenceless, heavily pregnant mother."

Sarah, 27, was 32 weeks pregnant with her third child when she was killed at her home in Donaghadee, County Down, on Friday, 27 June 2025. She was found unresponsive the following day by her grandfather and was pronounced dead at the scene. Hughes, a personal trainer with an address at Ardglen Place in Belfast, had earlier entered guilty pleas to her murder and to the rarely prosecuted charge of child destruction.

Daily Dazzling Dawn understands the court heard that Hughes attacked Sarah for approximately 19 minutes after she confronted him over his lies and deception. He struck her at least 59 times, mainly to the head, using a metal drinks cup printed with the word "Dad" — a gift given to him for Father's Day — a brush shaft, and multiple punches, as she screamed out for mercy. Prosecuting KC Geraldine McCullough told the court that Hughes "savagely beat and murdered Sarah while she screamed out to him for mercy."

Sarah had grown suspicious of Hughes' dishonesty and had begun recording their conversations on her mobile phone. Detectives later recovered the handset after it had been dumped in a bin, and it contained audio of the opening moments of the attack, in which Sarah can be heard screaming the defendant's name and begging him to stop.

The court was told Hughes then set about concealing what he had done. He attempted to clean the scene, disposed of blood-stained towels and the weapons used in the attack, stopped at a shopping centre to buy new clothes and shoes which he changed into in public toilets, and made a further stop to discard evidence along with Sarah's mobile phone and house keys before returning home. The following day, he attended a baby shower for the child due to be born to him and his fiancée in the coming weeks, knowing he had killed Sarah and their unborn son.

Madam Justice McBride described Sarah's murder and the death of baby Liam as "unspeakably wicked and heinous." She told the court: "There was, rightly, public outrage at this murder which was another femicide in a long line of femicides in this jurisdiction." She added that Sarah "is not just another statistic" — a sister, a granddaughter and a friend, remembered by all who knew her for their love and support for her and the depth of their friendship.

The judge said Sarah's two young daughters have been left with "the devastating impact" of having to live without a mother to hug them, read them a bedtime story, or put a bandage on a cut knee. Their lives, she said, will be blighted by the knowledge that their mum was so brutally murdered by their father.

Madam Justice McBride identified multiple aggravating features: the murder took place in the victim's own home, where she had a right to feel safe; Sarah was vulnerable and was killed by a man she should have been able to trust; Hughes attempted to conceal his involvement; and one of their daughters was nearby. The most serious aggravating factor, she said, was that the attack resulted in the death of "totally defenceless" baby Liam, which robbed him of the opportunity of life and raised the starting point for sentence to 25 years.

Mitigating factors — Hughes' earlier admissions, his guilty pleas and his remorse — reduced the appropriate minimum term to 20 years. The judge stressed that 20 years is the absolute minimum Hughes will serve before he may apply to the Parole Commissioners for release on licence. A concurrent 20-year sentence was imposed for the destruction of baby Liam, a charge which states that a defendant, "with intent to destroy the life of a child capable of being born alive, by a wilful act caused a child to die before it had an existence independent of its mother."

Detective Sergeant Jennifer Stevenson of the Police Service of Northern Ireland said Sarah "had everything to live for," adding: "Much loved, she was at the heart of a caring family, whose lives will never be the same again. Friends, neighbours and indeed an entire community have all been touched by loss, sadness and shock."

She said the brutality of the defendant's actions "was matched by his callousness and deceit," detailing how Hughes bought new clothes and changed in public toilets before disposing of evidence. "Despite his initial denial, thanks to our investigation, in which we worked closely with colleagues in the Public Prosecution Service, Hughes finally admitted his guilt. Today, Zak Hughes has been held accountable, and will now face the consequences of his actions."

The detective described Sarah's death as "a totally distressing case of domestic homicide," noting that abuse can take many forms, including emotional and physical abuse, and can affect anyone. She urged anyone who has been a victim, or who has concerns, to speak to police, and said Sarah's family had asked for privacy as they continue to grieve. "As we leave court today, my thoughts remain with them," she added.