A man accused of murdering Natalie McNally, a 32-year-ancient woman who was 15 weeks pregnant at the time of her death, allegedly fabricated a livestream to create an alibi, a court in Belfast heard on Monday.
Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, denies the murder of Ms. McNally, whose body was discovered at her home in Lurgan on December 18, 2022. Prosecutors allege that McCullagh pre-recorded six hours of himself playing video games and broadcast it as a live stream on the evening of December 18th, although he travelled to Ms. McNally’s home, according to reports from RTÉ and The Independent.
Charles MacCreanor KC, prosecuting, told the court that McCullagh attempted to mislead investigators by suggesting that an ex-partner of Ms. McNally’s was responsible for her death, and by describing a scene of extreme violence, stating there was “blood everywhere” and that “someone had knocked 10 bells out of her by the look of it,” The Independent reported. The prosecution contends that McCullagh’s 999 call reporting the incident was also an attempt to feign innocence.
The trial, expected to last around five weeks before Judge Mr Justice Patrick Kinney, began on Monday with a jury of six men and six women sworn in. However, the opening of the prosecution’s case was delayed due to legal arguments, and the jury was sent home until Wednesday morning, according to Belfast Live.
Police investigating the crime scene found no signs of forced entry, leading them to believe that Ms. McNally knew her attacker and willingly allowed them into her home, according to a Wikipedia entry on the case, which notes the circumstances of her death caused widespread outrage in Northern Ireland. An autopsy revealed Ms. McNally had suffered stab wounds, severe beatings, several facial fractures, and broken bones in her neck.
McCullagh was initially arrested at the scene but released the following day after being ruled out as a suspect, before later being charged with Ms. McNally’s murder. The trial is ongoing.
