This ends our coverage of the verdict and reaction to the conviction of Lisburn man Stephen McCullagh, 36, for the murder of 32-year-old Natalie McNally, a much-loved daughter, sister and friend.

Natalie was 15 weeks pregnant with a baby boy when she was murdered.

She was described by her brother Declan today as an "inspirational person" who would have been an amazing mother. He said she was the greatest joy that they will ever have.

Image source, Family picture

After her death, in 2022, Natalie’s mother Bernie (pictured) told BBC News NI that she was her “best friend”

Natalie McNally's father Noel (also pictured) said his daughter was "so happy and so content with life".

Image source, Family picture

Her brother Niall McNally described her as "the best sister ever" with a "heart of gold".

Natalie’s childhood friend Jayne Doran described her as an "effervescent ray of sunshine".

The trial heard Natalie was excited about having a baby, "loved being pregnant" and that it "all felt so natural".

You can watch south east reporter Cormac Campbell's report on BBC Newsline at 18:30.

Image source, Pacemaker

Natalie McNally had been 15 weeks pregnant with a baby boy when she was beaten, strangled and stabbed by the father of her unborn son in her Silverwood Green home in Lurgan. Today was the culmination of a four week trial.

• The jury took just over two hours to reach its verdict, at one point asking to re-watch CCTV footage from the night of the murder.
• Stephen McCullagh, 36, was found guilty of her murder.
• After the verdict was delivered by the foreman, Ms McNally's loved ones started cheering in the packed public gallery of Belfast Crown Court.
• The judge said the offence comes with a life sentence
• Later we heard from Natalie's family who described their beloved sister and daughter as an "inspiration" who would have been a wonderful mum, as well as the "greatest joy that they will ever have" and called for justice for the victims of violence against women and girls.
• The tariff hearing is 15 May.

UUP MLA, Doug Beattie, paid tribute to the McNally family, saying this was an appalling crime that shocked both the local community and Northern Ireland society in general.

“Stephen McCullagh has shown himself to be a callous murderer and his actions were premeditated and planned in callous detail.

"His actions have heaped untold suffering on the family of Natalie who must now navigate life without a much loved daughter and sister."

Beattie commends the McNally family for their incredible grace, dignity, and courage throughout these difficult months.

Cormac Campbell
BBC News NI South-east reporter

If the plan Stephen McCullagh set in motion to kill his pregnant partner was the plot of one of his video games, it may have been dismissed as being far-fetched.

But from the 36-year-old's first appearance in court in early 2023 - it was clear authorities believed he had not only murdered Natalie McNally, but also carefully constructed an elaborate house of cards to avoid justice.

There were his tears when police arrived at the scene, responding to his 999 call.

There was even an alibi – the six-hour YouTube gaming "live stream" broadcast the night before Natalie was found dead, that turned out to be a pre-recorded ruse.

For more than a month after the murder, McCullagh believed he had been dismissed as a suspect in Natalie's death. Three years after being charged, a five-week trial exposed his lies to a jury.

Read more about how the case unfolded here.

Natalie McNally's other brother Niall thanked everyone who worked on the case

"Thank you to the victim support unit that helped us through that awful journey. We want to thank the judge for presiding over a fair trial and thank you to the jury on their verdict today."

He thanked the wider family and friends for their continued support over the past three and a half years.

"Without their support we would not have got through this most difficult time in our lives."

Declan says Natalie was an inspirational person and that having her in their lives was "the greatest joy they will ever have".

He says she would have been an amazing mother to baby Dean (the name the family had given her unborn son) and that they love her forever, and hope she can now rest easy.

Declan also paid tribute to his mother and father and said: "Over the last three-and-a-half years, I don't know how they have done it.

"They are the most amazing people. They have the biggest strength you could ever think of and how they have held this all together, they are amazing and we love you very much."

Holly Fleck
BBC News NI

Declan McNally, Natalie's brother, says that their hearts go out to all the victims of violence against women and girls.

"Our hope is that all the victims and their families get their day in court and the justice they deserve."

He adds that society must do everything to end violence against women and girls.

Natalie's brothers Declan and Niall are speaking after the verdict, surrounded by the rest of their family.

To watch the reaction outside at the Belfast Crown Court now - click the play button at the top of the page.

SDLP Leader Claire Hanna says the thoughts of everyone in the SDLP are with the McNally family today.“They have endured the most unimaginable loss and have carried themselves with strength and quiet dignity throughout, earning respect and admiration.

“To lose a child, a sister or a friend in these circumstances is beyond comprehension."

Hanna added she hopes the conviction offers some measure of justice and a degree of comfort to Natalie’s family.

Image source, Social media

On Friday, a defence barrister representing McCullagh told the trial that he believed another man was responsible for her death.

The jury of six men and six women were asked to consider what the defence said was reasonable doubt that Stephen McCullagh murdered Natalie.

The defence barrister told the court that the case against McCullagh was dependent on circumstantial evidence and that evidence pointed to some other killer and that other killer, the defence said, is Natalie's ex boyfriend. His defence told the court there was not a mark on McCullagh's hands but that the ex boyfriend had swelling on both his hands.

Read more from the defence.

Image source, Pacemaker

Over 15 days the jury saw and heard various strands of evidence that the prosecution said was being pulled together.

This included, how for 44 days and eight police interviews, Stephen McCullagh failed to reveal that the live online gaming stream he presented as an alibi was pre-recorded days earlier.

The prosecutor said a former partner of McCullagh had said he had assaulted her after seeing messages to another man on her phone. Three years later he had the pin for Natalie's phone, which also contain messages with other men.

The jury was reminded that internet searches for bus and train timetables to and from Lurgan were made on his computer on the day of her death.

The prosecutor then spoke person of CCTV footage of the person of interest travelling to and from Natalie’s home, stating, "there's a sequence to this that knits and ties together, it's him I have no doubt".

More from the prosecution's final submissions can be read here.

In 2022 police investigating the stabbing of Natalie McNally released CCTV footage of a suspect seen entering her street on the night she was killed.

The CCTV footage shows a man entering Silverwood Green in Lurgan, where Natalie lived, at 20:52 GMT on Sunday 18 December 2022. He leaves at 21:30.

The trial began more than four weeks ago when the jury of six men and six women was sworn in. Justice Kinney has been the presiding judge.

The McNally family had been told that the trial may have been delayed because of industrial action by barristers but, in January the Criminal Bar Association decided that the trial should not be caught up in industrial action.

The prosecution made its final statement last Wednesday and the defence then spoke to the jury the following day, with the judge summing up on Friday.

Before he sent the jury out the judge told jurors they must consider all the evidence presented to them to decide whether they were satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant was responsible for Natalie McNally's murder.

As has been the case throughout the trial the McNally family was in attendance in the public gallery of Court 13 this morning.

The jury took just over two hours to reach its verdict and, after it was delivered by the foreman, Ms McNally's loved ones started cheering in the packed public gallery of Belfast Crown Court.

Image source, Pacemaker

Stephen McCullagh is a 36-year-old man from Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, County Antrim.

The YouTuber was in a relationship with Natalie McNally at the time of her death and she was pregnant with his child.

On the night of the Natalie McNally's murder, McCullagh broadcast a six-hour gaming "so called live stream" of him playing computer games, drinking, vaping and commenting to the camera. The stream's title was Violent Night.

Unusually, he told viewers that he couldn't interact or respond to comments – as streamers usually do – due to technical problems.

But the stream was not live - something he later admitted to police.

Image source, BBC / YouTube

In the six weeks that followed, McCullagh acted out the grieving boyfriend, attending her wake, visiting her grave and messaging her grieving brothers.

McCullagh denied the murder, offered no explanation for the pre-recorded live stream and didn't take the stand during his trial.

Read more about McCullagh and how he was brought to justice.

Cormac Campbell
BBC News NI South-east reporter

An online content creator, much of the case centred on McCullagh’s production of a pre-recorded six-hour online gaming stream which he outputted on YouTube on the night of Natalie’s murder. He presented this as live and continue to do so for 44 days and eight police interviews at which point police proved it had been pre-recorded.

The prosecution says the recording gave McCullagh time to travel to Lurgan on foot and by bus to Natalie’s home. After his brutal attack he changed clothes and although it’s thought he had intended to catch a train home he missed it, instead taking someone else’s taxi to his front door.

He travelled to Lurgan the following evening to 'discover’ her body and make an emotional 999 call.

During the investigation police secured, seized and studied thousands of hours of CCTV footage which they say charted McCullagh’s journey to and from the crime scene.

Outside the courtroom the hugs and cheers continue with the McNally family thanking the police and prosecutors who brought McCullagh to justice.

Cormac Campbell
BBC News NI South-east reporter

Image source, Social Media

Addressing McCullagh the trial judge Mr Justice Kinney says the offence comes with a life sentence.

"You have been convicted of the murder of Natalie McNally date will be set for the setting of a minimum tariff,” he says.

The judge commends the jury for their service in light of the traumatic and distressing evidence they had sat through.

As the judge tells them they would never have to sit on another jury the McNally family in the public gallery applauds them.

It was the prosecution case that although McCullagh has never explained his actions, it is likely that his motivation for the murder was reading messages sent by Natalie McNally to other men in the weeks before her death.

Some of these messages were sexually explicit in nature whilst others discussed potentially breaking up with McCullagh.

It was confirmed that McCullagh had the PIN for Natalie’s phone.

Cormac Campbell
BBC News NI South-east reporter

Image source, Family handout

After a trial lasting more than four weeks Stephen McCullagh has been found guilty of murdering Natalie McNally in her Lurgan home in December 2022.

The 36-year-old had denied murdering his pregnant partner but it took a jury of six men and six women just over two hours of deliberation to deliver a guilty verdict.

After weeks of evidence the jury was sent out this morning at 11.22am.

They returned to the courtroom at one stage to rewatch CCTV footage.

In total they deliberated for just over two hours returning to the court at 3.42pm when the foreperson delivered a guilty verdict.

In the public gallery there were tears, hugs and cheers as the McNally family, who have been ever present during this trial saw their daughter’s killer convicted.

When the verdict was delivered McCullagh could be seen slowly nodding his head.

Stephen McCullagh has been found guilty of murdering his pregnant partner Natalie McNally.

Hayley Halpin
BBC News NI

Image source, Family

Natalie McNally was 15 weeks pregnant with a baby boy when she died at her home in Lurgan, County Armagh, on 18 December 2022, aged 32.

She worked as part of the marketing team at public transport provider Translink.

After her death, Natalie’s mother Bernie (pictured) told BBC News NI that she was her “best friend”.

Image source, Family picture

Natalie McNally's father Noel (pictured) said his daughter was "so happy and so content with life".

Her brother Niall McNally described her as "the best sister ever" and said she had a "heart of gold".

Natalie’s childhood friend Jayne Doran described her as an "effervescent ray of sunshine".

The trial heard Natalie was excited about having a baby, "loved being pregnant" and that it "all felt so natural".