Zak Hughes Pleads Guilty to Murder of Pregnant Sarah Montgomery, Child Destruction in Donaghadee

Zak Hughes, 29, of Ardglen Place, Ardoyne, has pleaded guilty to the murder of Sarah Montgomery and a separate charge of child destruction. The pleas were entered in court on Friday, concerning the death of Ms Montgomery in Donaghadee in June 2025.

Ms Montgomery, a mother-of-two, was heavily pregnant with her third child, a son she intended to name Liam Arthur, at the time of her death. The judge, Madam Justice McBride, confirmed that a life sentence was the only permissible outcome following Hughes's guilty pleas.

Police were alerted on 28 June 2025, at approximately 14:15 BST, to a woman found unconscious with a serious injury inside a property in the Elmfield Walk area of Donaghadee. Sarah Montgomery was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following her death, hundreds gathered at a vigil in Donaghadee to commemorate Ms Montgomery and her unborn child. Friends highlighted her dedication to her two daughters, her two autistic brothers, and her elderly grandparents, describing her as a "vibrant individual" whose daughters were eagerly anticipating their baby brother.

The tariff hearing for Zak Hughes is scheduled for 11 September 2026.