Court Hears No Argument in Texts Between Murder Accused and Victim Natalie McNally
Hundreds of text messages exchanged between Natalie McNally and the man accused of murdering her contained not a single trace of an argument, Belfast Crown Court has been told. The detective leading the investigation into Ms McNally's killing testified that he did not observe any affectionate language in the correspondence, though the defence barrister described the messages as loving and tender.
Details of the Case and Evidence Presented
Ms McNally, aged 32, was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed at her home in Lurgan on December 18, 2022. Her partner, Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, is on trial for her murder, a charge he has denied. Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness resumed giving evidence on Monday, detailing the analysis of WhatsApp messages between the defendant and Ms McNally over 133 days from August to December 2022.
Defence barrister John Kearney highlighted that the transcribed messages, spanning 498 pages, showed no evidence of disputes. He stated, It's right to say that there was not a single trace of any argument between the defendant and Ms McNally across any of those 133 days of this relationship, or any of these 498 pages, isn't that correct? The detective confirmed he had not noted anything of that nature.
Nature of the Communications
The court heard that messages were exchanged on almost every day of the relationship, with Detective McGuinness noting Ms McNally was a heavy phone user, leading to frequent communication. Mr Kearney contrasted the tone with her previous boyfriend, describing it as night and day and an example of perfect normality. However, the detective pointed out the absence of affectionate terms like kisses or I love yous, which stood out to him given Ms McNally's typically forthright communication style.
In response, the barrister read messages to illustrate a loving relationship, including one from Ms McNally saying, Totally addicted to you, and another stating, We have a lifetime to do fun stuff together. He also cited a message from McCullagh that read, Seeing more of you, is never a bad thing, as long as I'm not too much of a distraction. You are the sweetest, loveliest person I've ever met. Mr Kearney argued these showed clear expressions of love and concern, suggesting the couple had exchanged addresses and spent nights together, with messages only pausing during work or when they were together.
Prosecution and Defence Perspectives
While the defence portrayed the messages as entirely innocent chitchat and evidence of a caring bond, the detective maintained he could not conclude it was a loving relationship based solely on text messages. He expressed surprise at the communication's nature, expecting more directness from Ms McNally based on her other interactions. The barrister countered by noting her habit of sending loving, poetic messages, including a Seamus Heaney poem extract, and later messages discussing her pregnancy and plans to move in together.
The trial continues as the court examines these contrasting interpretations of the digital evidence in the high-profile case.
