Life sentence for murder of pregnant partner in Belfast

A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 31 years for the murder of his pregnant partner, a killing the judge described as cold-blooded, calculated, and planned in "remorseless detail." Stephen McCullagh, 36, was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court for the murder of 32-year-old Natalie McNally at her home in Lurgan, County Armagh, in December 2022. Ms. McNally was 15 weeks pregnant with their son at the time of her death.

During the sentencing hearing, Mr. Justice Kinney detailed the extensive planning behind the crime. A central element of McCullagh's plan was a six-hour YouTube livestream in which he appeared to be playing the video game Grand Theft Auto, which he claimed provided an alibi for the night of the murder. Digital forensic experts, however, proved the footage had been prerecorded four days earlier and broadcast as if it were live on December 18. The judge stated this staged livestream was "carefully curated" to provide a "complete alibi."

Following the murder, McCullagh attempted to shift blame onto Ms. McNally's former boyfriend, the court heard. He also spent time with her grieving family, presenting himself as distraught. The judge noted...