Ex-Boyfriend Explains Phone Reset After Natalie McNally's Death
An ex-boyfriend of Natalie McNally has stated that he reset his phone days after her murder because it contained messages related to drugs.
McCullagh, 36, from Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, County Antrim, denies murdering his pregnant partner Natalie, who was fatally attacked at her Silverwood Green home in Lurgan on 18 December 2022.
A former boyfriend of Natalie, whose identity is protected by a reporting restriction, has been providing testimony.
He told Belfast Crown Court that the reset of his phone "had nothing to do with deleting messages between" himself and the 32-year-old.
'This is about Natalie'
The ex-partner was repeatedly cautioned by the judge about the risk of self-incrimination but insisted on telling the truth, stating,
"I'm here for Natalie".
He further said,
"If I sink myself and get myself in more trouble I don't care this is about Natalie."
During cross-examination, McCullagh's defence barrister questioned him about the factory reset of his phone following Natalie's death.
He recounted that while he was at work, he was informed that police officers were at his home.
"There were two detectives sitting in my flat, there was a big bag of weed sitting in a cupboard and I thought they would have been able to smell it,"
he said.
'My Best Friend Had Just Been Murdered'
He added,
"My best friend had just been murdered, there were two detectives in my house."
He expressed concern that the police would want to examine his phone, explaining,
"I was worried they were going to want my phone. There would have been messages to do with drugs and weed in particular."
He described pulling over before reaching home to perform the phone reset.
When asked if he had told a neighbour of Natalie’s about "some nasty messaging" between them, he responded,
"Yeah, I was probably telling her everything, the truth, I had been sending nasty messages, dirty messages whatever."
