Lisburn man Stephen McCullagh, 36, is sentenced to 31 years for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend Natalie McNally
Natalie was 15 weeks pregnant with a baby boy when she was beaten, strangled and stabbed at her Lurgan home in December 2022
Before sentencing the judge described Natalie as a "strong, loving and an independent young woman"
McCullagh, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, was on trial for more than four weeks
It took a jury just over two hours to find McCullagh guilty in March
Read about how McCullagh was brought to justice after police uncovered his fake YouTube alibi
Kelly Bonner
BBC News NI
Mr Justice Kinney says Stephen McCullagh "portrayed himself as being in distress as he was live-streaming while Natalie was being murdered".He says: "I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that this was carefully curated to suggest he was live."
The judge adds that McCullagh's "cold and cruel comments to her family was an attempt to maintain this fiction".
In his remarks, the judge says the relationship between Natalie and McCullagh was "relatively short" and it appeared that everyone was "delighted" with the pregnancy news, "particularly Natalie".
There was no suggestion, the judge said, that it was "anything other than a loving relationship".
But during the relationship, the judge says she maintained contact with other men, including an ex-boyfriend.
The judge some messages appeared to represent "some ambivalence" suggesting that she wasn't "fully committed," to McCullagh, but he adds there is no evidence that he had accessed her phone.
That said, he was aware of some of the contents on the phone, the judge says.
Shortly before the judge entered the court, McCullagh was led into the dock.
Natalie McNally's family, who attended every court hearing, have returned to hear the sentencing.
Mr Justice Kinney, who imposed a life sentence on Stephen McCullagh in March, has begun his remarks to the court before setting out the minimum time McCullagh must spend in prison.
After the guilty verdict was delivered in March, the judge told the court the offence comes with a life sentence.
After that verdict Natalie’s father Noel told BBC News NI the term will never be enough, adding that he was a "big danger to society".
"No matter how long he gets we'll be walking out of court disappointed," he said.
"We honestly think he should never be allowed out of jail, he should get a full life sentence for Natalie."
Natalie McNally: CCTV released of suspect in murder inquiry
In 2022 police investigating the stabbing of Natalie McNally released CCTV footage of a suspect seen entering her street on the night she was killed.
The CCTV footage shows a man entering Silverwood Green in Lurgan, where Natalie lived, at 20:52 GMT on Sunday 18 December 2022. He leaves at 21:30.
Image source, Family pictureNatalie McNally was 15 weeks pregnant with a baby boy when she was murdered at her home in Lurgan, County Armagh, on 18 December 2022, aged 32.
She worked as part of the marketing team at public transport provider Translink.
After her death, Natalie’s mother Bernie told BBC News NI that she was her “best friend”
Image source, Family pictureNatalie McNally's father Noel said his daughter was "so happy and so content with life".
Her brother Niall McNally described her as the “best sister ever” and said she had a "heart of gold".
Natalie’s childhood friend Jayne Doran described her as an “effervescent ray of sunshine”.
The trial of Stephen McCullagh also heard that Natalie was excited about having a baby, "loved being pregnant” and that it “all felt so natural”.
Image source, Social MediaWelcome to our live page coverage of the sentencing of Stephen McCullagh - who was found guilty of the murder of his girlfriend Natalie McNally in March.
Natalie was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed in her Silverwood Green home in Lurgan on 18 December 2022.
McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, was found guilty of her murder after a five-week trial.
The judge then said the offence comes with a life sentence. This morning McCullagh will be told what his sentence is.