Mr Justice Kinney spoke of the 'unnecessary and pointless degradation' of Natalie's body after her death which he said was 'part of her punishment and humiliation'
Mr Justice Kinney spoke of the "unnecessary and pointless degradation" of Natalie's body after her death which he said was "part of her punishment and humiliation""You planned this murder in remorseless detail.
You attacked someone you professed to love in a frenzied assault which was characterised by its excessive and gratuitous violence.
"Despite that frenzy, the killing was cold-blooded and calculated as evidenced by the extensive planning leading up to the murder and to your actions afterwards. "Your culpability in this case is exceptionally high and has many outstanding features which mean it is far more serious than most cases of murder.
"was 32-years old and was 15 weeks pregnant with their unborn son Dean when she was beaten, strangled and stabbed by Saying the unborn child had no chance of surviving the fatal attack, Mr Justice Kinney said: "This was a deliberate, calculated and successful attempt to prevent the eventual birth of the child. ", her murderer showed little emotion as the minimum term he will spend in prison before being considered eligible for release by the Parole Commissioners was imposed.
"She knew what she wanted from life and enjoyed her own life on her own terms. She was intelligent, compassionate and funny.
" The Judge also paid tribute to the McNally family for the integrity and dignity they have displayed throughout the judicial proceedings. Noel McNally and Bernie McNally, the parents of Natalie McNally outside Belfast Crown Court, after Stephen McCullagh has been handed a life sentence prison tariff of 31 years.
He said: "Their demeanor was nothing short of exemplary and they eluded a quiet dignity throughout the trial ... and were an essential part in ensuring justice was obtained for Natalie.
" Branding the murder as "brutal and frenzied", Mr Justice Kinney said it involved "the use of a knife, some form of blunt instrument which caused the head injuries and also the neck compression. " The Judge continued: "She was murdered by someone she trusted. She was murdered by the father of her unborn child. Indeed, her pregnancy contributed to her vulnerability.
"She lived alone and was murdered within what ought to have been the security and safety of her own home, a place of sanctuary to which the defendant had gained access on the night of the murder. " Mr Justice Kinney spoke of the "unnecessary and pointless degradation" of Natalie's body after her death which he said was "part of her punishment and humiliation.
" The Judge also spoke of the death of her unborn son Dean and said: "The defendant did not just kill Natalie McNally. Her unborn child also died as a result of the murderous assault.
"The defendant was fully aware that Natalie was pregnant. He intended to kill her and he knew that her baby, at such an early stage of the pregnancy, would have no chance of surviving the attack.
"There is an emotional and moral gravity in deliberately and prematurely ending a pregnancy, especially, as in this case, a wanted pregnancy. "The circumstances of the murder were exceptionally brutal, and I am satisfied that grave additional harm was caused by the loss of the pregnancy and of the unborn child.
"Screengrab of the police interview of Stephen McCullagh who has been handed a life sentence prison tariff of 31 years by a judge in Belfast Crown CourtThe Judge said that throughout this time, Natalie "maintained relationships" with a number of men including her ex-boyfriend Lewis Jones via social media and that McCullagh "appeared to be aware" of some of these messages.
The Judge highlighted McCullagh's attempts to avoid detection which included attempts to change his appearance on the night of the murder and the "manipulation" of his friends and Natalie's family in the aftermath.of blame at an ex boyfriend of Natalie's and said: "He embarked upon a complex and determined plan to falsely incriminate an innocent person and maintained this façade throughout the trial.
"At the conclusion of the five-week trial held earlier this year, the jury of six men and six women found McCullagh unanimously guilty of murder. Body worn footage of issued by Police Service of Northern Ireland of the arrest of Stephen McCullagh It took the 12 members just over two hours to reach the verdict and following this, McCullagh was handed a Life Sentence by Mr Justice Kinney.
He was told by the senior judge that if he is ever released from custody "you will remain subject to the Life Sentence already imposed upon you for the remainder of your life which means that if necessary, you can be returned to custody at any time. "
Please follow us on Google to support us Natalie Mcnally Courts Belfast Crown Court Lisburn Lurgan Crime PSNI
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Live as Stephen McCullagh sentenced for Natalie McNally murderThe 32-year-old had been 15 weeks pregnant when she was subjected to a violent attack and murdered at her home in Lurgan
Read more »
Stephen McCullagh to be sentenced for murder of Natalie McNallyMcCullagh murdered his pregnant girlfriend Natalie in her Lurgan home in 2022 and was found guilty in March 2026.
Read more »
'There's blood everywhere': Chilling 999 call made by murderer Stephen McCullaghStephen McCullagh was sentenced on Wednesday for the murder of his pregnant partner, Natalie McNally
Read more »
Chilling events leading to jailing of killer Stephen McCullaghStephen McCullagh gave no reaction as he was told he must serve 31 years before he can be considered eligible for release by the Parole Board for the murder of his pregnant partner Natalie McNally
Read more »