‘Don’t protect this monster’ PARENTS IN APPEAL TO COMMUNITY OVER PREGNANT NATALIE’S KILLING
MEN, women and children from all over Ireland gathered in their droves to stand with the family of slain young mum Natalie McNally.
The 2,000-strong turnout in support of the broken family of Natalie (32), who was stabbed to death in her home while 15 weeks pregnant, came on Saturday in Co Armagh, where Natalie and her unborn child’s lives were stolen in Lurgan on December 18.
Three arrests have been made so far but no-one has been charged, despite hundreds of PSNI house-to-house inquiries — and the seizure of more than 4,000 hours of CCTV footage.
Natalie’s grieving parents say they have been assured by cops that PSNI budget cuts will have no impact on the scale of the investigation into their daughter’s killing.
Her dad Noel also made a direct appeal at Saturday’s rally to his daughter’s killer to hand himself in, stating that women are “scared stiff ” while the thug remains at large.
The rally came just days after PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne said budget cuts would mean the force would shrink to its smallest ever level.
Natalie’s dad Noel said: “It is very frustrating, but we know the police are putting every effort into catching this person. They have even told us that with the financial restraints on the PSNI will not affect this at all, they are going to throw everything they have at it.
“We have every confidence that they will catch this fellow.”
Natalie’s mum Bernie appealed to anyone with information about Natalie’s death to contact investigators.
Conscience
“Hopefully people will think and examine their conscience, think if they know anything or are hiding this person,” she stated. “Please think, do you really want to be hiding a monster, because that’s what he is.”
Mr McNally added: “Even that fellow, if he is watching this, give yourself up to the police. The whole town (Lurgan) is scared, all the wee girls are scared stiff while you are still out there.
“Give yourself up to the police, do the right thing. You have to do this.”
Addressing the rally of grandparents, parents and children of all ages, Natalie’s brother Brendan denounced violence against women and girls on both sides of the border.
Telling the crowd, many of whom were weeping, that his sister was an inspiration, he said: “Natalie was a remarkable person. From the age of three she lived with type one diabetes.
“However, it remains a testament to her character that she was never restrained in what she wanted to achieve in life.
“She was delighted to be becoming a mother for the first time.”
He added: “Violence against women and girls is one of the great scourges of our society.
“This is no basis for a shared future. The time has long come for us to recognise that we cannot rest until the perpetual assaults against women are ended for good.”
Another brother, Declan, supported by Natalie’s third sibling Niall, then introduced a video montage showing excerpts from her life.
“This is how we want Natalie to be remembered: A beautiful, funloving person,” he said. The rally was organised by the National Women’s Council (NWC) and was also attended by a number of politicians, including Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill and Michelle Gildernew as well as the DUP’s Paul Greenfield.
Many families carried placards reading: “Justice for Natalie”, and: “She was only at home”, while a number wore pink or blue items of clothing in memory of the motherto-be.
Memory
Ms McNally’s mother added: “We want Natalie’s memory to go forward and to be remembered, and to remember all the women who have died.
“She was living her best life, that is what we want to remember in all this grief and sadness.”
Rachel Coyle of the NWC said the rally was an opportunity for society to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the McNally family.
“We are in awe of their determination to find justice,” she stated.
“More than that, Natalie is the 16th woman who was killed in similar circumstances last year.
“That is why we are here to continue to campaign for an end to violence against women.
“I live here in Lurgan. Women are afraid that this person has not been caught. This is a reality for women.”
The rally came as police renewed their appeal to find Ms McNally’s killer with detective Neil McGuinness saying: “We are committed to finding answers for Natalie’s heartbroken family.”