A YouTuber has been accused of staging a webcast to cover up a murder. A Northern Ireland court heard claims that Stephen McCullagh had pre-recorded the video. Prosecutors claim that as the video was playing, he was carrying out the murder of Natalie McNally, who was pregnant then.
What Happened to Stephen Mccullagh?
A court heard that a 32-year-old man accused of murdering a pregnant lady in Lurgan staged an internet gaming live the night she was slain. Natalie McNally, 32, was 15 weeks pregnant when she was stabbed at her Silverwood Greenhouse on December 18th. Stephen McCullagh, of Lisburn’s Woodland Gardens, was charged on Thursday. He did not speak during his video link appearance at Lisburn Magistrates’ Court. Mr McCullagh, who has a YouTube account, arranged a live broadcast on the night of the murder, with footage pretending to show him playing the video game Grand Theft Auto for six hours, according to the court. According to reports, the defendant was first apprehended following the murder but was later thrown out as a suspect because of the supposed livestream alibi.
What do the Officials Say?
According to a senior detective, a detailed investigation of Mr McCullagh’s equipment by cyber experts revealed that the footage was pre-recorded and played out as if it were live.
PSNI Det Ch Insp Neil McGuinness stated that the defendant tells viewers in the video that he cannot connect with them live due to technological concerns. While Mr McCullagh denies any participation in Ms McNally’s murder, he admitted in a police interrogation that the alleged livestream was pre-recorded by him days before.
According to the detective, Mr McCullagh, who works in the local media industry, then interacted with the McNally family in the following weeks. He claimed the accused left his phone at Ms McNally’s parents’ house and captured 40 minutes of audio. Det Ch Insp McGuinness said he believed Mr McCullagh was attempting to find out if the family suspected him of murder.
Stephen Mccullagh Accused Of Murdering Natalie McNally:
The court also heard that police think they can track the defendant back to his house in Lisburn from the murder scene. He said that while Mr McCullagh admitted he was not live streaming on the night of the murder, he was drinking alone in his residence and fell asleep. When requesting bail, a defence lawyer questioned the basis on which the police had linked the defendant to the charge. “Essentially, the evidence appears to all depend on the fact that the man did not livestream when he said he did,” he added. The judge described it as one of the most challenging cases she had ever heard. Mr McCullagh was remanded in custody and is expected back in court on February 24.
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