A man who used a staged Grand Theft Auto livestream as a false alibi while murdering his pregnant girlfriend has been sentenced to life in prison. Stephen McCullagh, 32, was handed a minimum term of 31 years for the killing of Natalie McNally in Lurgan, County Armagh, on 18 December 2022.
Premeditated Deception
McCullagh, a YouTuber, created an elaborate alibi by broadcasting a pre-recorded gaming livestream of Grand Theft Auto, which police experts later determined was recorded days before the murder. The scheme was described by Mr Justice Kinney as an 'integral' part of the brutal and senseless killing, planned in 'remorseless detail'.
Concerted Cover-Up
Following the murder, McCullagh made a concerted effort to blame Ms McNally's ex-boyfriend and feigned grief with her family. He showed no reaction as the sentence was delivered at the Crown Court in Belfast.
The case has drawn widespread attention due to the use of a gaming livestream as a criminal alibi, highlighting the lengths to which the perpetrator went to evade justice.
