Sarah Montgomery: Murder victim was a 'kind and wonderful mother'
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) first received a report of the attack at about 14:15 BST on Saturday. Officers were told an unconscious, seriously injured woman was inside the house at Elmfield Walk.PSNI officers and ambulance staff responded and paramedics provided medical treatment but Ms Montgomery was pronounced dead at the scene. A murder investigation was announced on Sunday, with Det Ch Insp Tom Phillips describing it as a "deeply tragic case".
MP condemns 'barbaric' murder
A number of mourners have left flowers and notes paying tribute to the victim. One of them read: "RIP Sarah – beautiful, kind and wonderful mother. Thinking of you and your family and your two little girls."The local MP, Alex Easton, said Ms Montgomery's children attended the same primary school as his own grandchild and she was regularly seen on the school run."She's been described as somebody who kept to herself and never was in any bother," he told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.He said he had been speaking to resident in Donaghadee over the weekend and they were still "extremely shocked by what's happened".Easton described the murder as "wrong and barbaric" and said more action is needed to protect women and girls from attack. "I think Stormont maybe needs to look at doing some sort of education in our schools - that our children are taught that violence against women is totally wrong," he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
22 minutes ago
- BBC News
Spike in arson attacks on 5G masts 'impacting thousands'
Police are engaging in "proactive patrolling" at the locations of 5G network masts in order to "provide greater security" around these sites after a spate of arson attacks mostly in west Belfast. A sixth arson attack on 5G towers in three weeks was reported on June 2023, 16 arson attacks on 5G towers took place in west Belfast, with the most recent attack near the Rathcoole estate, in Newtownabbey, bringing the total to 17. Sinn Féin councillor, and lifelong west Belfast resident, Ronan McLaughlin said the attacks are being driven by "dangerous conspiracy theories online". McLaughlin has been critical of the police's response to the west Belfast said there had been a "spate of attacks" in the last three weeks and he had "not seen one arrest". The PSNI "need to do much better", he said."You can see the majority of the masts that have been burned have been in the Colin area, I would hope that this is a small minority of individuals."The PSNI said local neighbourhood policing teams are "actively engaging with communities in the area and have increased police visibility around the affected areas".It added that detectives were pursuing a number of lines of enquiry and were "committed to identifying those responsible and bringing them to justice".A recent survey carried out by Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey found that out of 2,602 people who responded, 87% described phone signal in west Belfast as poor or very poor, with only 3% saying it was good or excellent. Belfast's Deputy Lord Mayor Paul Doherty, from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), said this type of digital infrastructure is "key to everyday life now" and is "impacting thousands of people". He told BBC News NI that the lack of phone signal in west Belfast in particular is having a serious impact on "elderly and vulnerable people", who could find themselves having a fall or becoming seriously ill but are "not able to pick up the phone to emergency services"."The fact that there is CCTV cameras, dashcam footage, Translink cameras up and down these stretches of road and we have seen no evidence and no arrests, people are very much frustrated as a result." Why are 5G masts being attacked? 5G masts or network towers carry signal for internet phone network connectivity. While the direct motive of the recent spate of attacks has not been identified by police, both McLaughlin and Doherty cite the spreading of "dangerous misinformation" and "conspiracy theories" online. Cornerstone, the firm responsible for maintaining the physical masts which provide signal for network providers, previously told BBC News NI it was aware that some people have concerns about mobile phone base stations."The strong consensus of expert groups and public health agencies, such as the World Health Organization, is that no health risks have been established from exposure to the low-level radio signals used by these base stations," Cornerstone said. Speaking to the Nolan Show on Tuesday, Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said "there is absolutely no evidence from any properly controlled study that the use of any mobile phone technology of any sort is a risk"."5G masts emit a low dose of radiation" but "simply isn't powerful enough to cause any problems", he added. PSNI Det Insp McAnee said the police were taking the issue in West Belfast very PSNI said it was important that the companies who own and operate the masts take "active steps to secure their infrastructure and commercial assets"."Hospitals that are affected are experiencing communication difficulties in contacting patients and managing critical on-call arrangements, and members of the public—particularly those who are vulnerable—are being left in a position where they are unable to make emergency calls or contact family."They are appealing to members of the public to help by coming forward with any information they may have.
BBC News
41 minutes ago
- BBC News
Southend tree fall tragedy: What do we know so far?
A seven-year-old girl was killed and her six-year-old cousin critically injured after a tree partially of teddy bears and flowers have been left at Chalkwell Park in Southend-on-Sea as the city continues to is what we know so far about the circumstances around the tragedy. What happened? A large tree in Chalkwell Park partially fell on five children at about 15:00 BST on to 50 people nearby rushed to the scene and tried to lift the branch that had cracked and fell to the seven, from Dagenham, was visiting her extended family in Southend-on-Sea and was fatally injured.A six-year-old girl, a cousin of Leonna's, remains in hospital in a critical other children were also sent to hospital with minor a tribute, Leonna's family described her as a "light in our lives"."It is with broken hearts and unimaginable pain that we share the devastating loss of our beloved daughter Leonna – our beautiful, bright, and loving little girl, taken from us far too soon."We will never stop wondering who she would have become, but we will forever carry who she was."Leonna will live forever in our hearts – in every laugh, every sunbeam, every act of kindness we see in the world. We were so lucky to have had her, even if only for a short time."The family also said they were grateful for all of the tributes paid to their "precious" daughter. What do we know about the tree? The tree has been identified as some form of cedar and is about 350 years used to be supported by wooden props but they were eventually replaced by metal Courtenay, city councillor and Conservative group leader, said the tree had been supported by the metal bars for surgeons spent Monday inspecting the tree and the area remains cordoned off to the public. How has the community reacted? Hundreds of teddy bears and flowers have been left at the park by people wanting to pay their service personnel along with local dignitaries visited the scene on Monday to leave tributes.A local primary school left floral tributes and their card read: "Our entire school community is heartbroken by this tragic loss. "We're sending our deepest condolences and hold you in our thoughts. From all at Chalkwell Hall Infant School."Jessie Huggins, 31, lives nearby and came to the area to pay her respects."I've got children myself and I think that it could have been anyone's little one that day," she said."You can see the tree from here and it must have been absolutely terrifying, what people must have been going through at the time."Another local resident, Carol Sheil, 66, brought her two-year-old granddaughter to lay said she was born and raised in the area and had seen generations of her family play under the tree."It's just heartbreaking," she said. "It could have happened to anybody, anyone could've been in that position."We just feel sorry for the families." What did Essex Police say? Essex Police is investigating the incident and a cordon remains around the scene, but the rest of the park is open. Officers have been supporting the families affected and the force urged anyone with more information to come Chief Constable Lucy Morris said: "To lose a child in any circumstance is unthinkable, to lose a child in this terrible way defies all belief."We will update on the outcome of these inquiries as soon as we possibly can."Until then, I'd ask that the public remember how harmful potentially unsubstantiated commentary can be."There will be a time and a place for the facts around what led to this incident to be explored in a public forum."Our investigation is still at a relatively early stage and, as desperately as people want answers, I'd please urge patience." What happens next? Essex Police launched an investigation on Saturday and is working with the Health and Safety Executive, which confirmed it would have inspectors at the site. The park, west of the city centre, is managed by Southend-on-Sea City Burton-Sampson, Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, said the council would be co-operating with police as their investigation continued. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Bryan Kohberger's family makes galling request as they break silence after shock Idaho murders plea deal
's family have broken a years-long silence to make a galling request for privacy after their son secured a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. The former criminology PhD student will plead guilty to murdering Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20 in their off campus home in November 2022. The plea will ensure he spends the rest of his life behind bars, without the possibility of parole or future appeals. In exchange, prosecutors have agreed not to pursue the death penalty. Now, Kohberger's family have spoken publicly for the first time since his initial arrest urging the public to respect their privacy. The family went on to say it had been 'a difficult time for all those affected.' 'In light of recent developments, the Kohbergers are asking members of the media for privacy, respect, and responsible judgment during this time,' they told NewsNation. 'We will continue to allow the legal process to unfold with respect to all parties and will not release any comments or take any questions. 'We ask that you respect our wishes during a difficult time for all those affected.' It marks just the second time during the entire ordeal that Kohberger's family have addressed the allegations against him. Shortly after his arrest, the family released a statement through attorney Jason A. LaBar expressing sympathy for 'the four families who have lost their precious children.' 'There are no words that can adequately express the sadness we feel, and we pray each day for them,' they said. 'We will continue to let the legal process unfold and as a family we will love and support our son and brother. 'We have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence rather than judge unknown facts and make erroneous assumptions.' The extraordinary request comes as their son's victim's families grapple with the news that he is now likely to serve out his natural life behind bars. The Goncalves family were particularly devastated by the news of a plea deal, issuing several statements on Monday night decrying the prosecutor's efforts. 'If anyone knows Judge [Steven] Hippler... reach out to him and ask him to put his foot down and not accept this offer,' grieving dad Steve Goncalves said. And Goncalves' younger sister, Aubrie, said: 'We are not asking for vengeance. We are asking for accountability. We are asking for dignity for our loved ones. And we are asking - pleading - for a justice system that truly lives up to its name.' Kernodle's aunt, Kim, was equally upset by the plea deal, while Mogen's father said he had accepted the decision and believed it would avoid reopening old wounds. Chapin's family will support the proposed plea deal when it is presented to Judge Steven Hippler on Wednesday. Prosecutors had tried to assure families that the plea deal was the best possible outcome, ensuring Kohberger will never be free while also avoiding a messy and traumatizing trial which could result in decades of appeals or even a verdict in which Kohberger walks free. Under the terms of the proposed deal, 30-year-old Kohberger will, on the murder counts, be sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole - and, on the burglary count, the maximum penalty of 10 years. He will also waive all right to appeal his conviction or sentence down the line, ensuring that he will never have the possibility of freedom for the heinous crime that sent shockwaves across the nation. But under the terms of the deal, Kohberger is under no obligation to reveal his motive for the vicious attacks. He may also never disclose whether he was targeting one of the victims in particular, or why he spared two housemates who were in the home at the time of the attack. Over the course of the investigation into the murders, authorities have been unable to find any digital connection between Kohberger and any of the four victims, according to court documents. There is also no known digital connection between Kohberger and the two surviving roommates. Some investigators believe Mogen was the intended target based on the path Kohberger took once entering the home. According to Dateline, Kohberger went straight to Mogen's room on the third floor and was caught off guard when he found Goncalves sleeping with Mogen in her bed. When a struggle then broke out, Kernodle - who was downstairs in the kitchen, looking at TikTok on her phone - went to investigate and the killer then chased her to her room, Dateline reported. The killer stabbed Kernodle to death and then turned to her boyfriend Chapin, who was in her bed, killing him too and then 'carving' his legs. Kohberger was arrested nearly six weeks after the students were found dead at his parents' home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania where he had returned for the holidays. Kohberger has been desperately trying to get the death penalty off the table over the past few months Kohberger has remained behind bars ever since, and has been desperately trying to get the death penalty off the table over the past few months - even arguing at one point that his autism diagnosis precludes him from facing the ultimate punishment. In more recent efforts, Kohberger's defense attorneys tried to get his purchase of the balaclava deemed inadmissible to the upcoming trial, but prosecutors argued it was crucial to their case. It now appears that the defense moved to reach a plea deal after Judge Hippler slapped down their efforts to point the finger at four alternate suspects - blasting his legal team's evidence as 'entirely irrelevant' and 'wild speculation 'Nothing links these individuals to the homicides or otherwise gives rise to reasonable inference that they committed the crime; indeed, it would take nothing short of rank speculation by the jury to make such a finding,' the judge wrote in his decision last week. Just hours before news of the plea deal broke, the defense faced another setback after they apparently called the wrong witness and other witnesses expressed their bewilderment at being called at all.
