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Stephen McCullagh is facing a hefty prison sentence.
The 36-year-old will serve at least 31 years in prison for the 2022 murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Natalie McNally.
McCullagh was convicted guilty of McNally's murder earlier this year after a five-week trial, according to the BBC. According to the site, McNally's family was present for the punishment on June 3, crying and holding each other.
But McCullagh almost got away with it: On December 18, 2022, he looked to be livestreaming on YouTube for six hours as McNally, who was 15 weeks pregnant at the time of her murder, was strangled and fatally stabbed in her Lurgan, Northern Ireland, home.
Stephen McCullagh was arrested by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) following the murder of Natalie McNally, but he was initially released due to a seemingly solid alibi provided by the timing of a YouTube livestream. In the aftermath of the crime, McCullagh exhibited behavior suggestive of innocence, attending McNally’s wake and accusing her ex-boyfriend of the murder. He even recorded conversations with the McNally family, ostensibly to gain updates on the investigation.
Initially confident in his evasion of justice, he crafted a victim narrative among his acquaintances and the public. However, PSNI's cyber unit debunked his alibi by confirming that McCullagh had pre-recorded the livestream days earlier. Surveillance footage then revealed that he had traveled in disguise to the victim’s home, where he committed the murder.
After being rearrested on January 21, 2023, McCullagh's trial commenced three years later. During sentencing, the judge emphasized the heinous nature of McCullagh's actions, highlighting that he not only murdered McNally but also caused the death of her unborn child, demonstrating his awareness of her pregnancy and intent to kill. The victim's father, Noel McNally, expressed deep sorrow and emphasized that while the sentence could not bring closure, the hope remained that it might deter future violence against women.”
