Man Accused of Murdering Pregnant Girlfriend Faked Gaming Livestream for Alibi
A man accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend allegedly faked a video game livestream in a chilling bid to give himself an alibi, telling viewers: 'I'm not leaving the house tonight.' Belfast Crown Court has heard how Stephen McCullagh is said to have pre-recorded a six-hour gaming broadcast and streamed it as if live on the night Natalie McNally was killed.
Prosecution Claims Staged Livestream
Prosecutors claim the 36-year-old disguised himself, traveled by bus to Lurgan, and walked to Miss McNally's home, where she was subjected to a brutal and prolonged attack. The court was shown around an hour of the footage this week, in which McCullagh is seen playing Grand Theft Auto while drinking alcohol, swearing, and repeatedly screaming at a character to die.
Police believe Miss McNally, 32, was killed at her home in Lurgan on the night of December 18, 2022. She was 15 weeks pregnant with their son. McCullagh, from Lisburn, denies murdering Miss McNally.
The prosecution allege the livestream – billed as The Violent Night Christmas Live Gaming Stream – was carefully staged to make it appear he had remained at home all evening. Opening the footage, McCullagh – then 32 and known on YouTube as Votesaxon07 – is seen wearing a Santa hat and greeting viewers.
Details of the Alleged Fake Broadcast
He spoke about the challenges of broadcasting live and warned he did not know how long the stream would last. Blaming technical issues, he said he would not be able to respond to the live chat and told viewers to 'chat amongst themselves.' He also said he would not be using his phone.
Introducing Grand Theft Auto as one of his childhood favourites, he poured himself a Guinness and joked about drinking and driving before adding: 'In the game by the way, I'm not leaving the house tonight.' He claimed he had not had a drink in months before taking a large gulp and saying: 'I could drink that stuff like it's water.' He later began drinking Baileys.
As the stream progressed, he told viewers: 'I'm a very angry gamer by the way.' In one violent sequence, he repeatedly screamed: 'die, why won't you die' at a character on screen. At another point he described himself as 'pissed out of his tits.'
He added: 'I realised I'm a very angry drunk', before insisting: 'In real life, I'm an absolute sweetheart. I don't have too many loved ones in my life, but the ones I love, I love with all my heart.' Looking ahead to Christmas, he said he was excited to spend time with family and friends, adding: 'It'll be a really f**** good Christmas this year.'
Prosecution Alleges Premeditated Killing
But prosecutors allege that while the footage appeared to show him drinking and gaming at home, he had in fact left the property. The court heard the prosecution case is that the killing was 'planned, calculated and premeditated, one which he (McCullagh) hoped to get away with.'
Earlier this week, jurors were told Miss McNally suffered a prolonged assault, including stab wounds to the neck, strangulation, and heavy blows to the head. The jury of six men and six women, sitting before Mr Justice Patrick Kinney, has been shown images from the scene, including a knife, a metal bowl, and a sheet of paper containing information about Miss McNally being diabetic. Photographs of McCullagh's home have also been presented.
WhatsApp Messages Revealed in Court
Barrister Bobbie-Leigh Herdman, prosecuting, read agreed facts to the court, including WhatsApp messages exchanged between the couple in the days leading up to the killing. On December 14, the messages were affectionate in tone as they discussed work, Christmas decorations, and Miss McNally's pregnancy and upcoming maternity leave.
On December 18, Miss McNally confirmed she had arrived home safely. McCullagh teased her about whether she would make it to her parents' house in time to watch the World Cup France vs Argentina match. At 5.57pm that evening, he messaged her saying he was 'off to stream the night away, wish me luck', to which she replied: 'Good luck, I might have a peek at your livestream later.'
After midnight and throughout December 19, McCullagh sent a series of messages to Miss McNally that went unanswered. In one, he wrote: 'I'm usually a man of my word but I thought a few drinks would be ok seeing as it's Christmas, I realise I should have run this by you first, and me saying one thing and then doing another has clearly upset you and for that I apologise sincerely.' He added: 'I love you and I never want to do anything to upset or hurt you.'
The court heard he also contacted a friend, expressing concern that Miss McNally was not responding. Prosecutors allege McCullagh later returned to Miss McNally's home on the night of December 19 and made a 999 call. The trial continues.
