Natalie McNally considered breaking up with murder accused, court hears

Natalie McNally sent messages indicating she was considering breaking up with a man now accused of her murder, Belfast Crown Court has heard.

The murder trial also heard that Stephen McCullagh made a 39-minute audio recording in Ms McNally’s parents’ home just weeks after her death.

Ms McNally, 32, was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed at her home in Lurgan on December 18 2022.

Her partner, Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, is on trial for her murder.

He has denied the charge.

The jury in the trial was read agreed evidence on Friday morning, which included exchanges of messages between Ms McNally and other men in the months before she was killed.

The court heard on December 16 she had responded to a message from a man known as Male B and informed him she was pregnant.

She said: “I am single but still pregnant.

“I know it is not a typical situation but I am delighted to have a baby by myself.”

Male B said: “Just think next Christmas you’ll be a mummy. How cool.”

Ms McNally replied: “I know, it’s so exciting. My family are over the moon.”

Ms McNally had sent messages to another man, Male C, on December 11.

She said: “I just like doing my own thing and now I have to make plans all the time with this person, can’t be bothered.”

Male C responded: “Are you going to break it up?”

She said: “No, I wouldn’t do it before Christmas, that’s just mean. I’ll see how I feel after the New Year.”

In a later message she added: “Maybe it will be OK. I just like my space, maybe he will be happy enough giving me a few weeks by myself to chill.

“There’s nothing wrong with him, I’m just feeling a bit uneasy.

“Well, I’ll make no rash decisions.”

The jury was then told McCullagh had created a note on his mobile phone on November 8 which said Ms McNally had been speaking to her mother about what to do with her house if she moved in with him.

It read: “Could tell she is apprehensive as it is such a big change, wants to be close to her family.

“Sees this place as my house and not hers. I told her she can do to this place whatever she likes as I trust her.

“Didn’t acknowledge that I am putting work in to making space for both her and the baby.”

The jury was then told McCullagh had conducted internet searches on December 18 on Translink’s website about late-night bus and train services to Lurgan and surrounding areas.

The court also heard police had located on McCullagh’s phone an audio recording lasting 39 minutes and seven seconds which was made in January 2023 in the McNally family home.

Holly McNally, who is married to Ms McNally’s brother Niall, then gave witness evidence.

She told the court she had been in the McNally family home “most of the time” in the days after the murder.

She said there had been a crowd in the home on January 26 organising a vigil in memory of Ms McNally, which was to take place two days later in Lurgan.

The witness said McCullagh had been at the home and she had offered to cook him dinner and made him welcome.

She told the court he had stayed for a couple of hours before leaving.

She said he then returned to the house within 20 minutes.

She said: “I saw it was him and I said ‘oh God he is back, I wonder is he OK.’

“I got up and went to the front door to meet him.”

The witness said he told her he had forgotten his mobile phone.

He retrieved it and left, the court heard.

The trial continues.