The trial of a man accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend has been hearing from the defendant's best friend.
Natalie McNally, 32, was beaten, strangled and stabbed in her home at Silverwood Green, Lurgan in Co Armagh, on the night of 18 December 2022.
She was 15 weeks pregnant.
Her former boyfriend and father of her unborn child, 35-year-old Stephen McCullagh, from Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, denies her murder.
Today, the trial heard from Anne McCullough, who described herself as his best friend. They had met at college while studying filmmaking.
She was in regular contact with Mr McCullagh in the days before the murder.
He also called her from the scene of the murder on the night he discovered Ms McNally’s body.
She said she had earlier gotten messages from him saying that after he had completed a six-hour gaming livestream, he believed he was in trouble with Ms McNally.
He said it was because he had promised not to drink during her pregnancy, but had consumed alcohol on screen that night.
She said he became more concerned as he was unable to raise her.
He asked Ms McCullough to accompany him to Ms McNally’s house, but she refused because she did not want to get drawn into their argument.
She said on the night of 19 December, she got a call from the defendant.
Ms McCullough said her friend was "howling" and "inconsolable".
"He just kept saying she’s gone, Natalie is gone.
"I honestly thought she had left him. I was trying to keep him calm."
She said he was so upset that her mother could hear him in the next room, even though her phone was not on speaker.
Ms McCullough said a female police officer took the phone and explained that Ms McNally was dead.
She asked Ms McCullough to come to the scene to try and calm Mr McCullagh.
She said on her way there, she got a second call from Mr McCullagh.
In this one, he was "calmer, almost zoned out" and sounded like he was disassociating from the situation.
He explained that his clothes were covered in blood and that he would need to hand them over for evidential purposes.
She learned from media reports the next day that her friend had been arrested on suspicion of murder.
'Prepping to become a Dad'
Anne McCullough said Stephen McCullagh had "been the happiest" she had ever seen him during his relationship with Natalie McNally.
She said he was excited about the pregnancy, was learning to cook and reading up on parenting.
"It seemed like he was prepping to become a Dad."
She said Natalie McNally had been good for him, a strong independent woman who challenged him on occasions.
She said Stephen McCullagh had spoken to her about his plans for a 6-hour gaming livestream which coincided with the night of the murder.
She said at all times he had presented it to her as something that was happening live.
It was only later that she found out it had been pre-recorded and played out as live on the night of the murder.
"I've no idea why he lied to me about that," she said.
"I can't understand why he wouldn't have told me that he had pre-recorded it."
Ms McCullough said she had cut off contact with the defendant in the months after the murder.
He said Mr McCullagh had described in detail to her the scene when he found Natalie McNally's body.
"I've had nightmares about it ever since."
The trial continues.
