A MAN has been convicted of murdering his partner while she was pregnant with their son.
Stephen McCullagh, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, was found guilty of murdering Natalie McNally at her home in Lurgan in 2022.
She was 15 weeks pregnant with a baby boy at the time.
Paying tribute the 32-year-old’s family have described her as an “inspirational person” who would have been an “amazing mother”.
Natalie McNally was 15 weeks pregnant at the time of her death (Image: PSNI)McCullagh, 36, who denied the murder, was found guilty by a jury this week following a four-week trial at Belfast Crown Court.
Speaking outside court yesterday (March 23), after the verdict was delivered, Ms McNally’s brother Declan McNally paid tribute to his sister.
“Having you in our lives was the greatest joy we’ll ever have,” he said.
“You would have been an amazing mother to baby Dean. We will love you forever and we hope you can now rest easy.”
He added: “As Natalie receives justice today, our hearts go out to all the victims of violence against women and girls.
“Our hope is that all the victims and families get their day in court and the justice they deserve.
“Violence against women and girls is the shame of our society and we must do everything possible to end it.”
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna has paid tribute to the McNally family for their “strength” during the time it has taken to achieve justice for their loved one.
“The thoughts of everyone in the SDLP and across Northern Ireland are with the McNally family today,” Ms Hanna said.
“They have endured the most unimaginable loss and have carried themselves with strength and quiet dignity throughout, earning respect and admiration.”
She added: “To lose a child, a sister or a friend in these circumstances is beyond comprehension.
“While no outcome can undo what has happened, I hope that the conviction offers some measure of justice and a degree of comfort to Natalie’s family.
“In cases like this, it is vital that justice is both done and seen to be done.”
Ms Hanna said McCullagh’s conviction comes as a time when “the issue of violence against women and girls has been brought into sharp focus”.
She explained: “This is not about one incident, but a wider societal problem that must be confronted.
“We need sustained action to ensure that no other family has to endure the pain and loss that the McNally family will carry for the rest of their lives.”
McCullagh will be sentenced at a later date.
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