A man who staged a fake YouTube gaming livestream to create an alibi while he murdered his pregnant girlfriend has been sentenced to at least 31 years in prison. The ruling was delivered by a judge at Belfast Crown Court.
Details of the Case
Stephen McCullagh, 36, from Woodland Gardens, Lisburn, showed no reaction as the life sentence tariff was handed down for the murder of Natalie McNally. The 32-year-old victim was 15 weeks pregnant when she suffered what Mr Justice Kinney described as a 'brutal and frenzied attack' at her home in Lurgan, County Armagh, in December 2022.
McCullagh was found guilty of murder by a jury earlier this year. The courtroom fell silent as members of Ms McNally's family watched him being led from the dock. After the door closed, many in the public gallery embraced each other.
The Fake Livestream Alibi
Justice Kinney noted that the staged livestream of McCullagh playing computer games on the night of the murder was an 'integral' part of his plan. McCullagh initially denied the murder, claiming he was livestreaming on his YouTube channel at the time of her death. However, police experts discovered that the six-hour stream had been recorded four days earlier and broadcast as if live on December 18.
The judge stated that the livestream had been 'carefully curated to appear as if it was streaming live and to provide the defendant a carefully planned complete alibi.' McCullagh then made a 'concerted effort' to shift blame to Ms McNally's ex-boyfriend.
Behaviour After the Murder
Justice Kinney highlighted that McCullagh spent time with Ms McNally's family after her death, presenting himself as 'devastated, distraught and shocked.' On Christmas Day, during the wake, the family comforted him and allowed him extensive time alone with Natalie, ostensibly to grieve.
The judge assessed McCullagh's culpability as 'extremely high,' stating it was 'difficult to find words' to describe the 'abhorrence' of the murder. He noted that the unborn child, Dean, died as a result of the attack, and McCullagh was fully aware of the pregnancy. The judge also said he was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Ms McNally's face had been placed in a dog bowl after the attack, describing it as intentional humiliation.
Sentencing Remarks
Ordering McCullagh to stand, Justice Kinney said the sentence 'cannot possibly reflect the value of Natalie's life, or indeed that of her unborn child, Dean,' nor meet the family's sense of 'grief and loss.' He told McCullagh: 'You have committed a brutal and senseless murder. You planned this murder in remorseless detail. You attacked someone you profess to love in a frenzied assault, characterised by excessive and gratuitous violence. Despite that frenzy, the killing was cold-blooded and calculated.'
Family Response
Speaking outside court, Ms McNally's father Noel said the family were 'serving a life sentence' with the loss of 'our beloved Natalie.' He thanked the community, the PSNI, and the prosecution service for their support, and expressed hope that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to help stop violence against women and girls. He requested privacy as the family continues to grieve.
