Stephen McCullagh found guilty of murdering Natalie McNally

By Rebecca Black, Press Association

The partner of a pregnant woman in Co Armagh has been found guilty of her murder.

Natalie McNally, 32, was 15 weeks pregnant when she was violently attacked and killed at her home in Lurgan on December 18th, 2022.

Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens, Lisburn, was convicted by a jury during the fifth week of the trial at Belfast Crown Court.

The jury of six men and six women reached their verdict after two hours of deliberations.

McCullagh stood without expression in the dock between prison staff as the verdict was read out.

McNally’s family and friends filled the public gallery behind the dock and cheered after the verdict was announced.

Trial judge Mr Justice Kinney told McCullagh the offence of murder comes with a mandatory life sentence.

A tariff hearing to determine the minimum amount of time McCullagh must spend in jail before he can be considered for release will be held in May.

The judge thanked the jury members for their service and told them they would never have to sit on a panel again.

Cheers and hugs were heard outside the courtroom following the verdict.

During the trial, the prosecution has said that McCullagh murdered McNally after setting up a “false alibi” that he was livestreaming a video gaming session on YouTube.

While he had originally claimed the gaming session had been broadcast live on December 18th, the night McNally was killed, he later admitted it had been pre-recorded days in advance.

The prosecution said he had then travelled to Lurgan on that evening, killed McNally and then travelled home in a taxi to his house in Lisburn.

McCullagh had met McNally in August 2022 and she was pregnant with his baby by November.

The prosecution in the trial had said McCullagh had accessed McNally’s phone and viewed messages that she had exchanged with other men.

McNally died following a violent attack in her home, suffering stab wounds and blows to her head.

Speaking outside court, McNally’s family thanked friends, family and the wider public for their support, saying without it “we would not have got through this most difficult time in our lives”.

McNally’s brother Niall McNally said: “As Natalie receives justice today, our hearts go out to all the victims of violence against women and girls.

“Our hope is that all the victims and families get their day in court, and the justice they deserve.”

Another one of her brothers Declan said she was “an inspirational person”.

“Having you in our lives was the greatest joy we’ll ever have,” he said.

“You would have been an amazing mother to baby Dean.

“We will love you forever and we hope you can now rest easy.”

He also paid tribute to their “amazing” parents, he said they have “the biggest strength you could ever think of” and “they’ve held us all together”.