Stephen McCullagh, a 32‑year‑old YouTuber with about 37,000 subscribers, was sentenced in Belfast Crown Court to life imprisonment with a minimum of 31 years after killing his pregnant girlfriend, Natalie McNally, in Lurgan, County Armagh, on 18 December 2022. He attempted to hide the crime by broadcasting a pre‑recorded Grand Theft Auto livestream, claiming he was still at home.

Fake GTA Stream Served as a 40‑Minute Murder Alibi

According to the court record, McCullagh aired a Christmas‑themed livestream titled “No Time To Die” while he was actually at McNally’s house, where he beat, strangled and stabbed her. The six‑hour broadcast repeatedly told viewers it was Sunday and blamed a non‑existent chat glitch to explain his absence.. The victim had logged in moments before his arrival, believing he was at his own home.

Gruesome Details of the 40‑Minute Attack

The prosecution described three stab wounds to McNally’s neck, multiple head injuries and signs of strangulation inflicted during a roughly 40‑minute window.. After the assault, McCullagh left her face‑down in a dog bowl and returned the next day to make a mock‑hystrical 999 call, sobbing that she was “cold” and “there’s blood everywhere.”

Manipulating the Victim’s Social Circle and the Legal Process

McCullagh attended McNally’s wake on Christmas Day and a public rally on 28 January, presenting himself as a grieving partner while police initially ruled him out as a suspect. He later tried to frame her ex‑boyfriend, and the fake livestream remained on his channel until his March conviction.

Judge Kinney Calls the Livestream an "Integral Part" of the Murder Plan

Mr Justice Kinney emphasized that the pre‑recorded GTA stream was a calculated component of a premeditated murder, describing the attack as “brutal, frenzied, cold‑blooded and calculated.” He noted McCullagh showed no remorse, even receiving comfort from the victim’s family at the wake.

Who Remains Unclear: Motive Beyond the Stream?

The court heard that McNally had briefly dated another man in October 2022, two months after beginning a relationship with McCullagh, and had been in contact with other men. Prosecutors suggested jealousy as a possible motive, but the exact trigger for the violence remains unverified.

Open Questions About Digital Alibis in Domestic Violence Cases

While the sentencing marks a rare instance of a livestream being used as a murder alibi,it raises questions about how law enforcement can detect fabricated digital content in real time and whether platforms will adopt stricter monitoring to prevent similar abuses.