A Belfast man who murdered the heavily pregnant mother of his children has been told he must serve at least 20 years in prison before he can be considered for release.

Zak Hughes, 29, of Ardglen Place in north Belfast, was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty earlier this year to murdering Sarah Montgomery, 27, and to the destruction of her unborn child. He received a life sentence with a 20-year minimum tariff for the murder, plus a concurrent 20-year term for child destruction.

Ms Montgomery, the mother of two young daughters, was 32 weeks pregnant with a boy she had named Liam Arthur when she was attacked at her flat in Elmfield Walk, Donaghadee, Co Down, on Friday 27 June 2025. The court heard Hughes struck her at least 59 times during an attack lasting about 19 minutes. One of their young children was sitting in a nearby car at the time.

Hughes was arrested the following evening at a relative's address in Ballyhalbert, where injuries to his right hand were noted. He later admitted what he had done after initially denying involvement.

Passing sentence, Madam Justice McBride told Hughes: "You are guilty of the brutal, completely unjustified murder of a defenceless, heavily pregnant mother." She said Ms Montgomery's children would now have to live with the devastating impact of losing their mother, knowing she was murdered by their own father.

Detective Sergeant Jennifer Stevenson, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said Ms Montgomery had been at the heart of a caring family whose lives would never be the same again.

Hughes, who showed no emotion as the sentence was passed, must serve every day of the 20-year tariff before he can be considered for release by the Parole Commissioners.

[Source: britbrief.co.uk](https://britbrief.co.uk/crime/sentencing/man-jailed-20-years-for-murder-of-pregnant-mother.html) | [Source: eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk](https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/national/26705855.man-jailed-20-years-murder-heavily-pregnant-mother-of-two/)