A 32-year-old Lisburn man has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of Natalie McNally in December.
Stephen McCullagh of Woodland Gardens, Lisburn was arrested on Tuesday and appeared before Lisburn Magistrates’ Court charged with the murder on Thursday.
32-year-old Natalie McNally was 15 weeks pregnant when she was stabbed at her home in Silverwood Green in Lurgan on 18 December.
Stephen McCullagh, who works for the Belfast Telegraph, was initially arrested on the 19 December but was later released. He was rearrested on Tuesday.
During Thursday’s hearing, which lasted almost an hour, Stephen McCullagh did not speak and appeared by video link.
The court heard how McCullagh appeared to have arranged a YouTube live stream for six hours on the night of the murder. However, police cyber experts believe McCullagh had pre-recorded the live stream and played it on the night as if it was live.
PSNI Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness told the court that McCullagh told his 37,000 subscribers that he was unable to interact with them as a result of technical difficulties that he was experiencing. DCI McGuinness told district judge Rosie Watters that McCullagh has admitted that the live stream was pre-recorded by him days before the murder.
McCullagh was rearrested following fresh CCTV footage which the police believe shows the accused on a bus from Redwood, Dunmurry to Lurgan on the night of the murder. The accused was hooded and wearing a mask on the bus. The CCTV also shows the accused was double gloved and underneath wore yellow gloves.
On the bus the accused was carrying an Asda bag for life and the court heard that the footage appeared to show a small black backpack in the bag which was similar to the one on the CCTV outside Natalie’s home.
The court heard that the McCullagh’s phone had no activity on the night of Natalie’s murder from the hours of 6pm to 11:16pm. Police believe McCullagh travelled via taxi to home and was dropped off at 11:13pm. Three minutes before activity began again on his phone.
The court heard that while McCullagh did not assist police with the investigation he has been interacting with the McNally family in the weeks after the murder despite not having a long-standing relationship with the family prior.
McCullagh left his phone in the family home of the McNally’s and recorded 40 minutes of audio. DCI McGuinness told the court that he believes McCullagh was attempting to determine whether the family suspected him of involvement in Natalie’s murder.
District Judge Rosie Watters denied bail stating that “if police are right, this was a cold-blooded attack which was meticulously planned with absolutely tragic consequences.”
McCullagh is due to appear in court again on 24 February.
