BELFAST, Northern Ireland: A man who pretended to be live-streaming a video game on YouTube to create an alibi while he killed his pregnant girlfriend will spend at least 31 years in prison, a court in Belfast has ruled.

Stephen McCullagh showed no reaction as he was given a life sentence at Belfast Crown Court for the murder of Natalie McNally at her home in Lurgan, County Armagh, in December 2022. The 36-year-old had already been found guilty earlier this year.

McNally, who was 32 and 15 weeks pregnant, was killed in what the judge described as a "brutal and frenzied attack." The judge said McCullagh knew she was pregnant and intended to kill her, knowing the baby would not survive.

There was silence in the courtroom as McNally's family and friends watched McCullagh being taken away. After he left, many people hugged each other.

The judge said the fake livestream was a key part of McCullagh's plan. He had told police he was streaming live when the murder happened, but experts found the six-hour video had actually been recorded four days earlier and then played as if it were live.

The judge said the video was carefully planned to make it look real and give him a strong alibi.

McCullagh also tried to blame McNally's ex-boyfriend for the murder. After her death, he even spent time with her family, acting as if he was shocked and heartbroken. On Christmas Day, during her wake, the family comforted him and even allowed him to spend time alone with her body.

The judge said McCullagh's responsibility for the crime was extremely high and described the murder as deeply shocking. He said both McNally and her unborn child died because of the attack.

Before announcing the 31-year minimum sentence, the judge said no punishment could match the value of their lives or ease the family's grief.

He told McCullagh that the murder was cruel, senseless, and carefully planned. He said the attack was very violent and, despite its intensity, was also cold and calculated. He added that McCullagh's actions after the crime showed he was determined to hide what he had done.