A 32-year-old man from Lisburn in County Antrim has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of a woman a week before Christmas.
Stephen McCullagh of Woodland Gardens, Lisburn, appeared before Lisburn Magistrates’ Court charged with the murder of Natalie McNally on December 18.
32-year-old McNally was 15 weeks pregnant when she was stabbed at her home in Silverwood Green in Lurgan, County Armagh.
During the hearing, which lasted almost an hour, Stephen McCullagh, who works for the Belfast Telegraph newspaper, did not speak and appeared by video link.
The court heard how McCullagh appeared to have arranged a YouTube live stream for six hours on the night of the murder. However, police cyber experts believe McCullagh had pre-recorded the live stream and played it on the night as if it was live.
PSNI Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness told the court that McCullagh told his 37,000 subscribers that he was unable to interact with them as a result of technical difficulties that he was experiencing. DCI McGuinness told District Judge Rosie Watters that McCullagh has admitted that the live stream was pre-recorded by him days before the murder.
McCullagh was rearrested following fresh CCTV footage which the police believe shows the accused on a bus from Dunmurry to Lurgan on the night of the murder. The accused was hooded and wearing a mask on the bus. The CCTV also shows the accused was double-gloved and underneath wore yellow gloves.
The court heard that McCullagh’s phone had no activity on the night of Natalie’s murder from the hours of 6 p.m. to 11:16 p.m. Police believe McCullagh travelled via taxi to home and was dropped off at 11:13pm. Three minutes before activity began again on his phone.
McCullagh is due to appear in court again on February 24.
Natalie McNally was an Armagh football supporter. During Sunday’s National League game against Mayo, at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh city, the 15,000 in attendance took part in a minute’s applause on 32 minutes for Natalie, to mark her 32 years.
Many supporters held up posters bearing Natalie’s photo and calling for justice for the murdered Lurgan woman.
