Natalie McNally murder trial delay would be ‘kick in the teeth’ for family
A judge cautioned the trial may not be able to go ahead next month as planned if industrial action by barristers takes place.
The potential of further delay in the Natalie McNally murder trial is a “kick in the teeth” for her family.
A judge cautioned the trial may not be able to proceed as planned next month due to industrial action by barristers.
Ms McNally, 32, died after she was stabbed at her home in Lurgan, Co Armagh, on December 18 2022. She had been 15 weeks pregnant.
Stephen McCullagh, 35, from Woodland Gardens, Lisburn, has denied murdering her.
His trial is listed to start at Belfast Crown Court on January 26.
It coincides with industrial action planned by barristers in a dispute with the Department of Justice over legal aid fees.
Criminal barristers in Northern Ireland are set to fully withdraw from all crown court cases from January 5.
In a statement, the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said it has been “sounding the alarm on an access-to-justice crisis for some time now”.
It said its members voted to take action “in light of the failure by the Department of Justice to provide reasonable renumeration for work properly done in legally aided court cases”.
Mr Justice Kinney said in court on Tuesday during a pre-trial hearing that he is keeping it listed to start on January 26, and hopes that the matters “will resolve”.
He said he was very sorry but these are “circumstances which are beyond the court’s control”.
Ms McNally’s brother Declan said they feel like they have been “left in limbo”.
He told BBC Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show that it is “a kick in the teeth”, particularly as they prepare for the third anniversary of her death.
“Three years on, we’re still within the criminal justice system without anybody held account for Natalie’s murder,” he said.
“We’ve had delays before from the system … it’s been delayed three times.
“We’ve been told by the judge yesterday to expect delay again, only this time we don’t know how long to expect the delay for.
“It seems to be indefinite, so we’re just sort of left in limbo and up in the air and don’t know what’s happening.”
He said his parents are very upset with the uncertainty which comes after previous delays in the case, and a criminal justice system which moves more slowly than the equivalent in England.
“It’s a difficult time of year for us, of course, it just feels like a never-ending process. We’re not the only ones going through this,” he said.
“We’ve been talking with other families who unfortunately are in the same situation as us and the general consensus is that it’s a mess and it’s re-traumatising us all.
“I think it’s very hard to move on until justice is done, so we’re still left in that limbo waiting for answers and it’s extremely difficult.”
He added: “One of the first things the police said to us shortly after Natalie was murdered was that you’ll see cases over in England where, sadly, people have been murdered, but they will be resolved long before and that’s just the nature of the justice system in Northern Ireland.
“It just seems unfair that were we’re so much longer. We look at the news now, we can see major serious cases over in England that have happened this year, 2025, and have been resolved, and it is difficult to watch.”
