Ciarán

And just a heads up for listeners, the following episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and murder and may not be suitable for all listeners.

Stephen McCullough will do at least 31 years of jail time before he's even considered for release.

The judge told McCullough that he'd committed a brutal, senseless murder and planned it in remorseless detail.

The killing was cold-blooded and calculated.

McCullough tried to pin the murder of Natalie McNally on Lewis Jones, Natalie's ex-partner, after setting up a false alibi.

But the jury had none of it.

It found McCullough guilty of the murder of Natalie McNally at Belfast Crown Court earlier this year.

32-year-old Natalie McNally had been 15 weeks pregnant when she was subjected to a violent attack and murdered at her home in Lurgan in December 2022.

Curtis Reid was in court for the sentencing.

Curtis, you're welcome to the Belltel.

Thanks very much, Ciarán.

What was the reaction in court today when McCulloch was sentenced?

And McCullough, when he heard the words 31 years, did he react at all?

Just to be clear, when McCulloch was convicted of murder,

he was given an automatic life sentence.

This 31 years is the minimum tariff before he can be even considered for release by parole commissioners.

Just to be clear, that's a very, very long sentence.

The judge's remarks, he explains why he is given this long tariff.

You know, the vast majority of people out there would agree with this tariff.

Some people would have thought a life means life tariff, if you want to put it that way.