McCullagh sentence appeal re-traumatising, says McNally family

The brother of Natalie McNally has said an appeal by her murderer, Stephen McCullagh, against his 31-year sentence is re-traumatising for her family.

McCullagh, 36, was sentenced in June after being convicted of murdering Natalie, who was 15 weeks pregnant, at her home in Lurgan in December 2022.

During the investigation he claimed he had been live-streaming on YouTube at the time of the murder, but detectives later found the gaming stream had been pre-recorded.

Sentencing McCullagh in June 2026, the judge described the murder as "cold-blooded and calculated".

The 31-year sentence is the minimum term McCullagh must serve before he can be considered for release by parole commissioners.

Declan McNally said he was not surprised that McCullagh would try and appeal against his sentence.

"I mean, he hasn't shown an ounce of remorse," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"I don't know if he views it as some sort of free hit - why not just have an appeal if he's nothing to lose.

"But it's not a free hit for our family, we're back into the court process worrying. It'll just be hanging over us again."

Natalie, 32, had been watching the World Cup final with her family on the day she was murdered on 18 December 2022.

A post-mortem examination found she endured a "prolonged assault" that included multiple stab wounds, strangulation and several heavy blows to the head.

Her family were watching the World Cup again on Tuesday when they were informed that McCullagh was appealing his sentence.

"It just speaks to his character completely," Declan said.

"That he would do it just speaks to his hideous nature. Then his behaviour since that he'd put us all through a horrific trial despite all the overwhelming evidence.

"And at the end he now expects to have an appeal and get the sentence reduced.

"If they're going to look at the sentence again, the only way the sentence should be going is up," Declan added.

McCullagh had returned to Natalie's' house the day after the murder to pretend to he had discovered her body and made a distressed 999 call.

He was arrested at the scene but later released because he told police he had been live-streaming himself playing video games on YouTube at the time of the murder.

After the murder he presented himself as a grieving boyfriend and attended her wake and vigil.

At his trial the court heard that he secretly recorded conversations at her family home by deliberately leaving his mobile phone behind.

Prosecutors said he did so to find out whether her family suspected him or had discussed the police investigation.

Detectives later found the six-hour stream had been recorded four days earlier and broadcast as if it were live to provide a false alibi.

In February 2023 McCullagh was re-arrested and charged.

He later accepted the livestream had been pre-recorded but denied murdering Natalie.

His trial began in February 2026. In March the jury unanimously found him guilty of murder after about two hours of deliberation.

In June he was sentenced to a minimum term of of 31 years before he can be considered for parole.

On Tuesday the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said it has been notified that an appeal against the sentence has been lodged.

"It's just completely re-traumatising for the whole family," Declan said.

"We're in the justice system now three and a half years. At at least we have a conviction, at least that person is banged up Maghaberry.

"Our thoughts are with the victims who haven't got their day in court yet and that are in that awful process of waiting. It just takes far too long in this country."