YouTuber jailed for murdering pregnant girlfriend

The jury heard how he used a pre-recorded live-stream as a cover

Stephen McCullagh has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Natalie McNally.

The 36-year-old from Lisburn, who was found guilty by jury in March 2026 of murdering his girlfriend, was sentenced today (Wednesday 3 March) in Belfast Crown Court.

The incident took place in December 2022.

McCullagh denied the charge, saying that he was live-streaming himself playing video games on his YouTube channel at the time of the murder.

Stephen McCullagh. Image: Police Service of Northern Ireland.

However, a police investigation had found the stream had in fact been filmed four days before it was claimed to be broadcasted live on 18 December.

McCullagh was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 31 years in prison.

Trial judge Justice Kinney said that the pre-recorded YouTube live stream was an "integral" part of McCullagh's plan to murder his girlfriend with it being “carefully curated" to "provide the defendant a carefully-planned complete alibi to the murder”.

As he passed sentence, Justice Kinney said McCullagh’s culpability had been assessed as “extremely high”, describing the murder as a “brutal and frenzied attack”.

He highlighted how McCullagh had spent time with the McNally family in the aftermath of the murder.

Natalie McNally. Image: Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Justice Kinney explained how McCullagh presented himself as "devastated, distraught and shocked".

“When he first arrived at the house on Christmas Day, during Natalie’s wake, the family brought him in and comforted him,” he said.

“They allowed him to spend extensive time alone with Natalie, ostensibly to grieve for her.”

As he set the tariff, the judge highlighted the "abhorrence" of the murder of Natalie McNally which "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," he added.

McCullagh nodded when the sentence was handed down.