Amy Doherty named as dead woman at centre of murder probe

Police have named the woman who died after being found injured in Co Londonderry at the weekend as 28-year-old Amy Doherty.

On Saturday the PSNI launched a murder investigation after they were called to a property in the Summer Meadows Mews area of Derry and Ms Doherty was found badly injured.

The mother-of-two was taken to hospital where she later died.

A 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, and remains in custody.

According to Women’s Aid, Ms Doherty is the 30th woman in Northern Ireland to be killed since 2020, and the region is consistently flagged as having one of the highest rates of femicide in Europe.

Speaking at Stormont on Monday, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said no “amount of money is going to change the black hearts” of men who commit violence against women.

​The Executive’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, introduced in 2024, aims to tackle a culture of misogyny through prevention programmes in schools, stronger protections and support services for victims, and co-ordinated multi‑agency action to reduce gender‑based violence.

Mr Robinson was asked if he felt that strategy was adequately funded.

“I don’t know just how much money you could ever allocate that would change the heart of any man that would treat a woman that way,” he said.

“We have a societal problem where some men continue to behave in such an irresponsible, disgraceful, unpalatable way, privately, behind closed doors to women.

“Our society has suffered a lot – the Northern Affairs Select Committee, we’ve been launching our own inquiry, we had (Home Office minister) Jess Phillips before us last week.

“In fact, the UK Government took lessons from the Executive’s programme for ending violence against women and girls, because our Executive was the first to bring forward a plan anywhere on these islands.

“But still, there are women in our society who are suffering.”

He added: “So you’re asking me: what can we do? We cannot lose our focus on these issues, but nor can we suggest that an extra £50,000 here or £100,000 there – though Women’s Aid needs support – that any amount of money is going to change the black hearts of those who would so callously treat their loved ones in many circumstances, but anyone, the way they do behind closed doors.”

In a statement following Ms Doherty’s death, Women’s Aid NI offered their “sincerest, heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and all those who knew and loved her”.

“We cannot begin to imagine your pain following Amy’s death, but please know we stand with you, and you will forever remain in our hearts and thoughts,” they said.

“Amy is the 30th adult woman to be killed in Northern Ireland since 2020, a devastating statistic that comes merely two weeks after the Fermanagh community also lost Ellie Flanagan.”

Twenty-three-year-old Ellie Flanagan was found dead in Enniskillen in early March by officers who were carrying out inquiries relating to a crash on the Carn Road near Tempo.

In a statement on Sunday First Minister Michelle O’Neill said she was “deeply saddened by the tragic news coming from Derry of the murder of young mother-of-two, Amy Doherty”.

“In less than three weeks two more young women have lost their lives in heartbreaking circumstances,” she said.

“Everyone must stand up and tackle the scourge of violence against women and girls.”