Natalie McNally: Officer details messages between McNally and murder accused

A police officer has said he believes there was a lack of "any real affection" in nearly 500 pages of WhatsApp messages between Natalie McNally and the man accused of murdering her. However, a defence barrister for Stephen MCullagh argued the pages are "peppered" with "considerable expressions of mutual love and affection". McCullagh, 36, from Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, County Antrim, denies murdering his pregnant partner Natalie in her Silverwood Green home in Lurgan on 18 December 2022. On Monday, the court heard details of WhatsApp messages between Natalie and McCullagh from 7 August 2022 until 19 December 2022. This period of 133 days effectively covered the duration of their relationship. The first message from McCullagh represented a continuation of messages between the two on an online dating app. "Hey Nat, it's that robot weirdo from Bumble," the message read. The pair then discuss meeting up that Thursday for their first date discussing meeting for food and drinks. Messages then indicate dates like bowling and playing crazy golf. Defence barrister John Kearney KC said that in the messages there was "not a single trace of any argument" and "not a nasty word." He said the