LAST UPDATE | 23 Mar

A MAN WHO falsely claimed he was livestreaming a video game session when his pregnant partner was killed, has been convicted of her murder.

Natalie McNally, 32, was 15 weeks pregnant when she was violently attacked and killed at her home in Lurgan on 18 December 2022.

Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens, Lisburn, was convicted by a jury during the fifth week of the trial at Belfast Crown Court.

The jury of six men and six women reached their verdict after two hours of deliberations.

McCullagh stood without expression in the dock between prison staff as the verdict was read out.

Ms McNally’s family and friends filled the public gallery behind the dock and cheered after the verdict was announced.

Trial judge Mr Justice Kinney told McCullagh the offence of murder comes with a mandatory life sentence.

A tariff hearing to determine the minimum amount of time McCullagh must spend in jail before he can be considered for release will be held in May.

The judge thanked the jury members for their service and told them they would never have to sit on a panel again.

Cheers and hugs were heard outside the courtroom following the verdict.

During the trial, the prosecution has said that McCullagh murdered Ms McNally after setting up a “false alibi” that he was livestreaming a video gaming session on YouTube.

While he had originally claimed the gaming session had been broadcast live on 18 December, the night Ms McNally was killed, he later admitted it had been pre-recorded days in advance.

The prosecution said he had then travelled to Lurgan on that evening, killed Ms McNally and then travelled home in a taxi to his house in Lisburn.

McCullagh had met Ms McNally in August 2022 and she was pregnant with his baby by November.

The prosecution in the trial had said McCullagh had accessed Ms McNally’s phone and viewed messages that she had exchanged with other men.

Ms McNally died following a violent attack in her home, suffering stab wounds and blows to her head.

The family of Natalie McNally outside Belfast Crown Court, after Stephen McCullagh was found guilty Mark Marlow / PA Mark Marlow / PA / PA

Speaking outside court, Ms McNally’s family thanked friends, family and the wider public for their support, saying without it “we would not have got through this most difficult time in our lives”.

Ms McNally’s brother Niall McNally said: “As Natalie receives justice today, our hearts go out to all the victims of violence against women and girls.

“Our hope is that all the victims and families get their day in court, and the justice they deserve.”

Another one of her brothers Declan said she was “an inspirational person”.

“Having you in our lives was the greatest joy we’ll ever have,” he said.

“You would have been an amazing mother to baby Dean. We will love you forever and we hope you can now rest easy.”

He also paid tribute to their “amazing” parents, he said they have “the biggest strength you could ever think of” and “they’ve held us all together”.

Alibi dismantled by cyber experts

It was conceived to be the perfect alibi placing McCullagh almost 20 miles away at his home in Lisburn while his pregnant partner Ms McNally was murdered at her home.

Ms McNally died after being violently attacked between 8.50pm and 9.30pm at her house.

At that very moment, McCullagh, known online as votesaxon07, appeared to have been drinking alcohol and livestreaming himself playing computer games to other online gamers.

The trial of McCullagh was shown sections of the six-hour livestream during the trial at Belfast Crown Court.

It was advertised on his social media as a surprise livestream to start at 6pm on 18 December, called The Violent Night Christmas Live Gaming Stream.

The footage opens with McCullagh wearing a Santa hat, welcoming viewers, and talking about the challenges of broadcasting live, saying he did not know how long it would last.

Footage of the Stephen McCullagh 'live stream' that is part of the case against the Lisburn man accused of murdering Natalie McNally.

The prosecution case is that the live stream was a 'false alibi' as it was actually pre-recorded.

This short clip was released to the media on… pic.twitter.com/Nl1XJWd9eO

— The Irish News (@irish_news) February 25, 2026

He said because of technical issues he would not be able to respond to the live chat, telling viewers to “chat amongst themselves”, and also said he would not use his phone.

He introduced the game Grand Theft Auto as one of his childhood favourites, and as he poured himself a Guinness, joked he would be drinking and driving, but added: “In the game by the way, I’m not leaving the house tonight.”

He mused about time off work over Christmas and said he was looking forward to spending time with loved ones, adding: “It’ll be a really f****** good Christmas this year.”

The stream went on with McCullagh saying he had not had a drink in months, before drinking a large portion, adding: “I could drink that stuff like it’s water.”

He later started drinking Baileys.

As the stream went on, McCullagh said: “I’m a very angry gamer by the way.”

And later, he appeared to be becoming drunk, screaming “die, why won’t you die” at one of the characters in a violent part of the game, and referred to himself as “pissed out of his tits”.

He also said he “realised I’m a very angry drunk”, but added: “In real life, I’m an absolute sweetheart.

“I don’t have too many loved ones in my life, but the ones I love, I love with all my heart.”

It was an alibi in the virtual world of gaming that he must have hoped would be beyond the comprehension of most, however, it was debunked by the PSNI’s cyber crime unit.

The trial heard that an examination of McCullagh’s devices provided extensive evidence indicating it had been pre-recorded on 14 December and saved as a video file.

After he was re-arrested in January, McCullagh went on to admit to police in a pre-prepared statement that he had pre-recorded the footage.

In the statement, he said he had been consuming alcohol on the night Ms McNally was killed and had been asleep for most of the evening.