Former YouTuber Stephen McCullagh Appeals Life Sentence

A former YouTuber convicted of murdering his pregnant girlfriend in a case that involved a fabricated video game livestream as an alibi has launched an appeal against his life sentence. Stephen McCullagh, 36, is seeking to challenge the 31-year minimum term he must serve before being considered for parole, a move that has drawn condemnation from the victim's family.

The Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland confirmed it has been formally notified of the appeal. McCullagh was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court on June 3 after being found guilty by a jury in March following a five-week trial. He was convicted of murdering Natalie McNally, 32, who was 15 weeks pregnant, at her home in Lurgan on December 18, 2022.

During the trial, prosecutors detailed how McCullagh staged an elaborate alibi by broadcasting a pre-recorded, six-hour YouTube livestream of himself playing Grand Theft Auto on the night of the killing. The video, which had been recorded four days earlier, was presented as a live broadcast where McCullagh claimed he could not interact with viewers due to technical issues. Forensic analysis by police experts exposed the deception.