A former boyfriend of Natalie McNally denied killing her during a third day of testimony at Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday, before turning to the accused, Stephen McCullagh, and shouting accusations at him from the witness box.

McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, is on trial for the murder of his pregnant partner. Ms McNally, 32, was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed at her home at Silverwood Green in Lurgan on 18 December 2022. He has denied the charge.

The former boyfriend, who cannot be named due to a reporting restriction, was cross-examined by defence barrister John Kearney KC. Mr Kearney put it to the witness that it was McCullagh's case that the witness had killed Ms McNally. The witness denied killing her, denied being present at her home on the night of the murder, and denied recruiting anyone else to carry out the killing.

Mr Kearney showed the witness photographs of injuries to his hands taken during police interviews in the days after Ms McNally's death. The witness said the injuries were sustained from punching walls and insisted he did not receive them on the night of the killing.

The witness had previously acknowledged telling what he called white lies to police about the extent of his contact with Ms McNally. He said he had told police the truth about his whereabouts over a four-day period and that the only things he had been untruthful about were when he had last seen Ms McNally and how much contact they had, which he said he corrected when he was arrested.

During the cross-examination, the witness twice addressed McCullagh directly in the dock. On the first occasion he shouted that McCullagh had carried out the killing. He later repeated the accusation. The jury of six men and six women was present throughout.

Prosecuting barrister Charles MacCreanor KC asked the witness about Ms McNally's pregnancy. The witness said she had been very happy about it and had wanted to be a mother. He became emotional and again addressed McCullagh, saying he did not understand why McCullagh had killed her.