A YouTuber who murdered his pregnant partner while faking a livestream as an alibi has been sentenced to 31 years in prison. Stephen McCullagh, 36, was convicted of the 'cold-blooded and calculated' killing of Natalie McNally at her home in Lurgan, Northern Ireland, on 18 December 2022.
Mr Justice Kinney described the attack as 'frenzied' and 'excessive', noting that McCullagh stabbed, strangled and bludgeoned McNally, who was 15 weeks pregnant. The judge said he was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that McCullagh intended to kill both McNally and their unborn child.
McCullagh had set up an elaborate alibi by broadcasting a prerecorded video of himself playing Grand Theft Auto on his YouTube channel, wearing a Santa hat and stating he would not leave the house. The recording was made four nights before the murder. After the crime, McCullagh attended McNally's wake, appearing grief-stricken, and was comforted by her family. He also left his phone at the family home to record their conversations.
Prosecutor Catherine Kierans called the case 'chilling' due to the level of premeditation, including wearing a disguise, forensic awareness, and framing an ex-partner. McCullagh was initially released after police saw the livestream but was later arrested when the recording was discovered to be fake.
Speaking outside court, McNally's father, Noel, expressed the family's 'unimaginable pain and grief' and hoped the sentence would serve as a deterrent against violence towards women and girls.
