A senior prosecutor has stated that she had never previously encountered a domestic murder with such a high degree of premeditation as that seen in the killing of Natalie McNally. Catherine Kierans, assistant director in the Public Prosecution Service and head of the serious crime unit, described the experience of watching YouTuber Stephen McCullagh's fake livestream gaming session as 'absolutely chilling'. McCullagh had attempted to present the video as his alibi for the murder.
Case Details
McCullagh, 36, from Woodland Gardens, Lisburn, was found guilty by a jury at Belfast Crown Court earlier this year after a five-week trial. At a tariff hearing on Wednesday, he was ordered to serve at least 31 years in prison before being eligible for parole. Ms McNally, 32, was 15 weeks pregnant with their son when she was murdered at her home in Lurgan in December 2022.
Prosecutor's Remarks
Ms Kierans advised that McCullagh should be charged with murder in 2023 and led the prosecution team that secured his conviction. She described the case as 'very unusual', highlighting the brutal murder of a young pregnant woman, the extensive planning, and the framing of an innocent person. McCullagh had used a six-hour YouTube video as his alibi, claiming he was livestreaming at the time of the murder. He maintained this lie for weeks until police experts determined the video was pre-recorded.
Ms Kierans noted that the case was unprecedented in her 27-year legal career. 'I've never seen a case like this in terms of domestic murder with such a level of premeditation, planning, thinking of every possible aspect, the wearing of a disguise, the forensic awareness, the framing of the ex-partner.' She also highlighted the insidious aspect of McCullagh ingratiating himself with the bereaved family and spying on them.
Evidence and Conviction
Despite the case being circumstantial, Ms Kierans was confident of a conviction. She pointed to strong evidence, including thousands of hours of CCTV analysed by police, which traced the murderer's journey from Dunmurry to Lurgan and back. Footage near McCullagh's home showed him disposing of rubbish in a bin scheduled for collection the next morning, and his phone reactivating after being inactive all afternoon. The demolition of his alibi further strengthened the case.
Ms Kierans described the six-hour gaming video as 'absolutely chilling', noting that it contained references to the date, times, and distance from Christmas, suggesting it was made on the day of the murder. She speculated that the content, including the title 'violent night' Christmas, might contain intentional references to the murder, indicating a level of brazenness and enjoyment.
Justice for Natalie
Ms Kierans emphasised that at the heart of the case was the brutal murder of a young woman. 'Natalie was pregnant, she had everything to live for, a very intelligent woman, vibrant, full of life, full of excitement about her little baby coming.' She commended the bravery of McNally's parents and brothers, who attended every court appearance, describing their dignified engagement with the justice system as remarkable.
