Man who murdered Natalie McNally called himself 'a monster'

A sentencing hearing for the man who murdered Natalie McNally has heard of the "callous, wicked and cruel" nature of his crime and its aftermath.

Natalie was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed in her Lurgan home in December 2022.

Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, was found guilty of her murder after a five-week trial earlier this year.

On Thursday, the court heard that in a "self-contradictory" contribution to a pre-sentence report McCullagh, who has not admitted killing Natalie, called himself "a monster".

Natalie was pregnant with McCullagh's child when he created a false alibi to enable him to travel to her Silverwood Green home in disguise and brutally murder her.

McCullagh then embarked on a six-week period in which he manipulated and abused the trust of her grieving family.

Trial judge Mr Justice Kinney imposed a life sentence in March but the first of two hearings that will set the minimum period McCullagh must spend in prison was held on Thursday.

That tariff will be set at a hearing 3 June.

On Thursday, the court was reminded of the key details of the crime as well as discussing aggravating and mitigating factors, pre-sentence reports and precedents which will help shape it.

Prosecution lawyer Charles MacCreanor KC highlighted what he said were contradictory elements of McCullagh's contribution to a pre-sentence report – where in some elements he appears to be accepting responsibility and in others the opposite.

This involved McCullagh stating that he had no memory of the night of the murder but he "acknowledged he might have left his house".

In the report he said: "I don't remember feeling the need for her to die. I'm not the type of person to seek revenge."

But he later suggested that when it took the jury such a short time to find him guilty he began to question if he was.

The report stated that McCullagh said that if he was responsible he was "horrible, evil and vicious" he "referred to himself as a monster".

McCullagh added: "I'm sorry for what I did to that family, to Natalie and to baby Dean, I'd take it back in a heartbeat if I could."

The court heard that in the report that McCullagh "wants to be a mentor for other men".

MacCreanor said McCullagh was "trying to manipulate the parole board in due course".

Defence barrister John Kearney KC acknowledged that elements of McCullagh's comments in the report were "self-contradictory".

However, he questioned prosecution assertions relating to McCullagh accessing Natalie's telephone and the level of pre-planning that has been suggested in relation to the pre-recorded alibi.

Although the prosecution has argued that aspects of the case relate to the humiliation of Natalie, the defence argues there is no evidence to this effect.

Citing case-law, the prosecution has argued for a sentence in the region of 27-35 years. However, the defence has argued that this would be unprecedented.

Justice Kinney told the court that he will review the representations and impose a tariff on 3 June.