Natalie McNally: Family comforted murder accused Stephen McCullagh

The family of Natalie McNally welcomed Stephen McCullagh into their home for their daughter’s wake on Christmas Day 2022, despite the tragic circumstances. They expressed sympathy for him, feeling “devastated” on his behalf. McCullagh, 36, from Lisburn, County Antrim, has denied the accusation of murdering Natalie, who was discovered dead in her Silverwood Green residence in Lurgan on December 18, 2022. At the time of her death, Natalie was 15 weeks pregnant.

During the sixth and seventh days of testimony, key members of Natalie’s family—including her parents and brothers—recounted their interactions with McCullagh both before and following Natalie’s death. Her mother, Bernadette, shared with Belfast Crown Court that McCullagh had shown her an engagement ring after Natalie passed away. A temporary reporting restriction was imposed during one of the hearings until the family’s evidence was fully heard. It was revealed that Natalie and McCullagh initially connected through the dating app Bumble, with their first date taking place in August 2022. By late October, McCullagh had met Natalie’s family, and in early November the couple informed them of the pregnancy.

The trial further uncovered details about the period following Natalie’s death. Though McCullagh had been on police bail, he was released and no longer considered a suspect by December 24, 2022—a fact the family was informed of. A day later, McCullagh attended Natalie’s wake, arriving at their home in Craigavon accompanied by his cousin. Bernadette described McCullagh’s attire at the wake as a suit he said he was wearing because Natalie had liked it during a birthday meal. She recalled that in later meetings he mentioned renovating his house and spoke of an integrated school close to his Lisburn residence. Bernadette said, “We were devastated and worried for him,” and broke down when asked about her emotional state. Noel, Natalie’s father, described McCullagh as visibly upset at the wake, receiving comfort from others, and noted that McCullagh spent 15 to 20 minutes alone with Natalie’s body. Noel believed McCullagh to be a grieving boyfriend and respected his choice not to attend the funeral.

Natalie’s brothers, Declan and Brendan, also testified about the wake and their ongoing contact with McCullagh. Brendan recounted McCullagh’s distress, saying that he was “crying and speaking about Natalie,” repeatedly expressing guilt by saying he had let her down. Brendan shared that McCullagh had been closely monitoring media coverage of the case, lamenting the decline in the story’s prominence and insisting, “This should be a massive story, an international story.” Declan described exchanging phone numbers with McCullagh during the wake and their nearly daily communication afterward. He spoke of a visit to Natalie’s grave with McCullagh, who appeared “completely distraught.” Declan also mentioned

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More