Natalie McNally: Accused Stephen McCullagh refused bail

Natalie McNally was expecting a baby boy when she was killed in December 2022

A man accused of the murder of Natalie McNally in her home in Lurgan, County Armagh, has been refused bail.

Stephen McCullagh, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, County Antrim, appeared by videolink at the High Court in Belfast.

The 33-year-old denies murdering his then girlfriend, who was expecting his child.

Ms McNally, who was 32, was 15 weeks pregnant when she was stabbed at her home in Silverwood Green in December 2022.

Barrister for the prosecution Natalie Pinkerton opposed bail on three fronts - a perceived risk of reoffending, a flight risk and the potential for interfering with an ongoing investigation.

Ms Pinkerton told the court that Ms McNally and Mr McCullagh had begun a relationship in August 2022 and she had subsequently become pregnant with his child.

The court heard that on the evening of her murder, Ms McNally had been watching football at her parents' home but later drove to her own home at Silverwood Green.

CCTV in the area showed she arrived home at about 19:00 GMT.

Neighbours 'heard scream'

The court heard that as far as Ms McNally was aware, Mr McCullagh, who had a large online following, was engaged in a live stream of the computer game Grand Theft Auto which began at 18:00 GMT.

Text messages between the two highlighted this, with Mr McCullagh sending a message at 17:57 GMT stating: "Right I'm away to stream the night away. Wish me luck."

The court heard that Ms McNally replied two minutes later.

However, the court heard that it has subsequently been established that this broadcast was not live but rather pre-recorded.

The court heard Stephen McCullagh had read messages between Natalie McNally and her ex-partner the night before she was killed

Mr McCullagh's defence barrister Craig Patton said his client acknowledged in his statement that the footage was pre-recorded but that he had been drinking and watched it go out live online.

A prosecution barrister told the court that at 19:09 GMT a man was filmed on CCTV two miles from Mr McCullagh's Lisburn address walking towards a bus stop in Dunmurry.

The man, who was wearing a hood, snood or scarf and gloves and carrying a shopping bag, then travelled to Lurgan by bus.

The prosecution argue that the man's height and build are consistent with those of Mr McCullagh.

It was also stated that in one section of CCTV gathered on the bus, a portion of the man's eyes and nose area are visible which they argued are consistent with Mr McCullagh.

In response, Mr Patton said: "We have heard a lot about the suspect on the bus, but we heard very little about how he is purported to be that person."

It was alleged that man on the bus got off in Lurgan, with CCTV showing him walking towards Silverwood Green.

"He initially walks past Silverwood Green," the prosecution barrister said.

"This would allow him to walk past Natalie's house and to see if the car was there and the lights on."

The court heard that the man came back a few moments later at 20:52 GMT.

It then heard that at 21:00 GMT, neighbours heard a woman scream.

The man was then seen leaving the area at 21:31 GMT having changed his clothes, walked to Carnegie Street in Lurgan and got into a taxi.

The court heard that the driver later positively identified Mr McCullagh in a VIPER (Video Identification Parade Electronic Recording) - although Mr McCullagh's barrister stressed that this identification came after his client's image had appeared in the media relating to the case.

The court then heard the taxi travelled to Mr McCullagh's Lisburn home, where the man got out, went into the grounds of the house before coming back out to pay the driver and collect to bags from the vehicle which were then thrown over a hedge.

The court heard that three minutes later, at 23:16 GMT, Mr McCullagh's mobile phone was activated for the first time since 17:57 GMT.

Discounted as a suspect

The court heard that at 00:17 GMT the following morning, CCTV footage showed Mr McCullagh standing at the front of the premises putting bins out.

He was not wearing the same clothes as the man who arrived at the house.

The prosecution alleged that Mr McCullagh purchased, changed and disposed of the clothes.

The following day Mr McCullagh travelled to Ms McNally's home, found her body and called the emergency services.

It was established that she had suffered compression to the neck, stab wounds to the neck and head injuries from a blunt instrument.

A knife was recovered at the scene but the blunt instrument has not been located.

Mr McCullagh was then arrested but subsequently released due to his alibi, that he was live streaming at the time of Ms McNally's death.

He was discounted as a suspect on 24 December, before being reconsidered.

The prosecution said that Ms McNally had been in contact with a previous partner and that they believe Mr McCullagh had read messages between the two on Ms McNally's phone on the night of 17 December.

'No criminal record'

Mr McCullagh's barrister said his client should be given bail.

"Once the hype is stripped away, even if there was a risk, it is at such a level that bail should not be refused," added Mr Patton.

"He has no record, ties to the community and no difficulty agreeing to any bail conditions."

However bail was refused, with Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan stating she believed a prima facie case had been established.

She said there were risks of flight and risk of interference with the course of justice and that she was not confident any bail conditions would eliminate those risks.

"If further investigation or information should aid the applicant then a further bail application can be made," she said.