YouTuber Stephen McCullagh has been found guilty of the murder of his pregnant partner Natalie McNally.
The 36-year-old was convicted on Monday following a trial at Belfast Crown Court.
Ms McNally, 32, was 15 weeks pregnant with the couple’s son when she was beaten and stabbed at her home in Lurgan on 18 December 2022.
During the trial, the jury heard that McCullagh had broadcast a YouTube video of himself playing Grand Theft Auto on the night that his partner was murdered.
He had given the impression that it was a live broadcast, the court heard.
However, the prosecution said that McCullagh had prepared the six-hour gaming broadcast four days in advance.
“His claim that between 6pm and midnight he was going live was a complete fabrication,” barrister Charles MacCreanor KC said.
“He repeatedly and to different people lied that he was doing a live show.”
McCullagh, of Woodland Gardens, Lisburn, had denied the charge.
The jury of six men and six women reached their verdict on Monday after two hours of deliberations.
McCullagh stood without expression in the dock between prison staff as the verdict was read out.
Ms McNally’s family and friends filled the public gallery behind the dock and cheered after the verdict was announced.
The jurors earlier heard that McCullagh disguised himself, took a bus to Lurgan, and walked to Ms McNally’s house where he killed her.
He later got a taxi home before returning to Ms McNally’s house on the night of 19 December, when he made a 999 call.
The trial heard that she had been subject to a prolonged attack, including stab wounds to the neck, strangulation and heavy blows to the head.
The week after her death, on Christmas Day, McCullagh attended a wake at her family’s home.
“The family literally bring him in, they console him, they support him, they help him,” Mr MacCreanor said.
McCullagh continued the lie that he had been livestreaming when his partner was killed, the jury heard.
Later, during a police interview, he confessed in a statement that the broadcast had been pre-recorded.
