A police officer who attended the scene of Natalie McNally’s murder described today (Tuesday) how he saw a dog bowl filled with blood beside her head.
The sergeant was called to called to give evidence during the second day of a trial into her murder.
Ms McNally was killed in her Silverwood Green home in Lurgan between 8.50pm and 9.30pm on Sunday December 18, 2022.
At the time of her death, the 32-year old was 15 weeks pregnant.
The father of her unborn child, 36-year old Stephen McCullagh from Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, has been accused of and has denied her murder.
After being called to give evidence at Belfast Crown Court, the police officer confirmed he attended Ms McNally’s address on the evening of December 19, 2022.
He said that when he arrived at Silverwood Green, members from the Ambulance Service were at the scene along with other police officers.
Under questioning from Crown barrister Charles MacCreanor KC, the witness confirmed he then entered Ms McNally’s home.
The officer said he saw McCullagh in the hallway who was “very upset, he was crying.”
He said that after McCullagh was “led out” and taken to a police car by another officer, he walked up the stairs and observed Ms McNally’s feet at the top of the staircase.
When asked if he saw Ms McNally at the top of the stairs, the sergeant replied “I did” then said “she was lying on her back.”
He continued: “Her head was in the living room which was on the first floor. She was lying on her back with her feet protruding over the stairs.
“She was slightly raised on the left hand side by a cushion and her left arm was up against the wall.”
When the police officer was asked if blood was visible, he said: “Yes, there was blood visible around her neck. I noticed a puncture wound.
“There was blood which was in a dog bowl. It looked almost like it had been used to collect the blood.”
Mr MacCreanor then asked the sergeant if he observed a small black-handled knife in the living room and he confirmed he saw this item lying on the floor “some distance away from the deceased’s head.”
He added that he also saw some blood “on the wall closest to the knife” then confirmed he “went no further than the top of the stairs” before exiting the property.
Mr MacCreanor then asked the witness if he was aware of the arrest of McCullagh at the scene at 11.40pm.
The sergeant confirmed this was the case and that McCullagh was taken into custody to Banbridge PSNI station.
At hearing
