McCullagh Guilty of Murdering Pregnant Partner

0:00On March 23rd, Stephen McCullough has been convicted of murdering his pregnant partner, Natalie McNally, at her home in Lurgan, back in December 20, 22. The 36-year-old from Lisburn denied the charge, but after a four-week trial at Belfast Crown Court, the jury took just over two hours to find. Him guilty. Natalie was 15 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. Prosecutors argued McCullough's motive stemmed from jealousy over messages Natalie had sent to other men. He tried to create an alibi by uploading a pre-recorded six-hour gaming video to YouTube, pretending it was live on the night of the killing. Police later proved it was fake after studying thousands of hours of CCTV footage that tracked his movements to and from the scene. Cheers broke out in the courtroom when the verdict was announced, with tears and hugs among Natalie's family who had attended every day of the trial. Her brother described her as an inspirational person who would have been a great mother, and he called violence against women the shame of society, hoping all victims get justice.

1:03The judge sentenced McCullough to life in prison, with a tear of hearing set for May 15th to decide his minimum term. He praised the McNally family for their dignity, and excused the jury from future service after their tough work, reviewing disturbing evidence. This conviction brings some closure to a grieving family and underscores the role solid police work plays in holding killers accountable.