Sarah Montgomery: A ‘cold blooded, sustained and murderous’ attack

In the weeks leading up to Sarah’s murder, she became aware through social media that Hughes’ fiancée was also pregnant.

Sarah messaged Hughes’ mother who confirmed that his other partner was also pregnant, the court heard.

Sarah took screenshots of her conversation and sent them to him.

Later that day he came to her home to collect one of his daughters for the weekend.

Hughes called to the house at around 13:30 BST.

Their daughter left the flat and went to wait in Hughes’ jeep.

What happened next was recorded in audio on Sarah’s phone.

Sarah confronted him about the pregnancy – and was heard to ask: “How did you think you were going to get away with it?”

At the end of the recording, the court was told that Sarah could be heard saying “Jesus” and screaming the word “Zak” several times.

The last 24 seconds of the recording is of Sarah screaming.

Hughes left the flat and went back out to the car where his daughter had been waiting. He then drove to pick his other daughter up from school.

One member of staff described him as looking “sweaty, dishevelled and his face was very agitated”.

Later, Hughes went to Primark and bought new clothes which he changed into before disposing of the stained clothes.

He then set about getting rid of other evidence. He dumped Sarah’s phone first and then another bag of items taken from the house.

Hughes dumped the blood-stained dented water bottle and a wooden brush shaft which police believe were the murder weapons.

Later that night, he sent a photo of himself with the girls sitting on his knee to Sarah’s phone.

The prosecution lawyer said he would have known that Sarah was either dead or dying.