Belfast man to be prosecuted for murder of pregnant mum, court hears

Belfast man to be prosecuted for murder of pregnant mum, court hears | Belfast Live

Sarah, a 27-year-old mum to two daughters was heavily pregnant at the time of her death

A Belfast man is to be prosecuted for the murder of pregnant mum-of-two Sarah Montgomery and causing the destruction of her unborn child, a prosecution lawyer confirmed today.

During a brief update in the case against Zak Hughes, a lawyer for the PPS told Newtownards Magistrates Court "it is the holding charges which are being proceeded with".

Hughes, 28, from Ardglen Place in Belfast but currently on remand in HMP Maghaberry, is charged with the murder of Sarah Montgomery on 27 June this year and with destruction of her unborn child on the same date.

The rarely seen charge discloses that “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.”

When any criminal case begins, it is a senior police officer or PPS lawyer who decide the initial charges but they are kept under review by the PPS as the file develops and can, on occasion, be amended depending upon the evidence.

The PPS lawyer confirmed that it is the charges of Sarah’s murder and the destruction of her unborn child, both of which carry a sentence of life imprisonment, which will proceed to the Crown Court.

Sarah, a 27-year-old mum to two daughters who was heavily pregnant at the time of her death, was pronounced dead at her home on Elmfield Walk in Donaghadee that Saturday afternoon.

Hughes was arrested within hours of her body being found and although none of the background facts have been opened in court, his defence solicitor has previously confirmed that, “just for the benefit of everyone, the defendant does not dispute that he is responsible for what occurred.”

“He made that case at interview and this case obviously impacts on families,” said the solicitor on an earlier occasion.

In court on Wednesday, Sarah’s family sat in the front row of the public gallery but Hughes was not produced to the video link suite at HMP Maghaberry.

They heard the PPS lawyer confirm that papers and statements for the preliminary enquiry are being prepared and that the “full file” has been received.

She applied for a four-week adjournment and with the defence not raising any objections to that, Deputy District Judge Liam McStay put the case back to 28 January.