A so-called YouTube live stream made by the man accused of murdering Natalie McNally was played to a jury today (Wednesday).
The six men and six women were also shown items removed from Ms McNally’s home in the aftermath of her murder, included a small black-handled knife located close to her head in the living room of her Lurgan home.
The pregnant 32-year old was beaten, strangled and stabbed in her Silverwood Green home and it’s the Crown’s case that she was murdered between 8.50pm and 9.30pm on Sunday December 18, 2022.
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.
During day three of the murder trial at Belfast Crown Court, the jury was played a recording of a so-called ‘live stream’ made by McCullagh.
Entitled The Violent Night Christmas Live Gaming Stream, it appeared on McCullagh’s YouTube channel between 6pm and midnight on Sunday December 18.
The jury has already heard that following his arrest on suspicion of murder on December 18, McCullagh provided this so-called live stream as an alibi.
The 12 members have also heard that following a forensic examination of McCullagh’s computer, experts from the PSNI’s cyber team determined that this six hour stream was not in fact live at all but had been recorded some days before.
When this evidence was put to McCullagh early in 2023, in a pre-prepared statement he admitted to police he had recorded the stream on the night of December 14th and into the early hours of the 15th then put it out on YouTube on Sunday 18th.
He claimed that on the evening of Sunday 18th he had consumed Buckfast, Guinness and Bailey’s and that Ms McNally would be disappointed in him as he promised he wouldn’t drink until their baby was born.
Sections of the recording were played to the jury and on several occasions McCullagh – who was wearing a red Santa hat- said the stream was live and that he couldn’t look at the live chat comments ‘for some bloody reason.’
In the stream, McCullagh played Grand Theft Auto Vice City on his Xbox and referred to it as ‘Xbox gamey goodness.’
Drinking Guinness and Baileys and smoking a vape, McCullagh talked throughout the stream and at one point said ‘I’m going to get drunk during this live stream. I did promise people I wouldn’t get drunk. To those people I apologise.’
Saying ‘I’m a very angry gamer by the way’, he also put on various accents including American, Spanish and Cockney whilst playing the game.
In addition to the stream being played, the jury and Mr Justice Kinney were also shown three items removed from Ms McNally’s home.
These items, wrapped in forensic evidence bags, were a silver dog bowl, a small black-handled knife and sheet of paper containing information about diabetes.
The jurors also heard information regarding some evidence agreed by the Crown and defence.
This included a series of WhatsApp messages exchanged between McCullagh and Ms McNally on the afternoon and evening of Sunday December 18, 2022.
In the exchange, the couple discussed decorating her Christmas tree, food and a World Cup football match between Argentina and France.
At 5.57pm, McCullagh messaged Ms McNally and said ‘Right, I’m off to stream the night away. Wish me luck.’ Two minutes later she replied and said ‘Good luck. I might sneak a peak at your live stream later.’
Branding the live streaming as “a cover story” with McCullagh “peddling a false alibi”, it’s the Crown’s case that instead of live streaming from his home, McCullagh got the bus from Dunmurry to Lurgan then walked to Ms McNally’s house where he murdered her.
At hearing
