Thousands gather for vigil in memory of mother-of-two Amy Doherty

Thousands of people have gathered in Derry for a vigil in memory of mother-of-two Amy Doherty.

People gathered at the Guildhall on Friday evening carrying flowers and purple balloons, hours after a man appeared in court charged with Ms Doherty’s murder.

Women stood at the steps of the Guildhall, behind a line of candles and flowers, carrying photos of female victims of violence.

Amy’s mother Sharon said, during an emotional address to the crowd, that her daughter had been “brutally taken from us and her babies”.

“I don’t want Amy and the other 29 women’s murders to be in vain,” she said as she thanked the large crowd in attendance at the vigil.

“All we want is justice for Amy.”

Her family then released balloons into the sky in honour of Amy and other women who had been killed in Northern Ireland.

At her funeral on Thursday, Ms Doherty was described as a “dedicated” care worker and a person with a “magnetic personality” who drew people to her.

Her death and other high-profile cases have prompted discussions on women’s and girls’ safety in Northern Ireland.

Earlier on Friday, a man appeared in court charged with the murder of Ms Doherty at the weekend.

Connor McNamee, 30, of Summer Meadow Mews in Derry, was also charged with possession of an offensive weapon, a kitchen knife, and possession of a class A controlled drug, cocaine.

Court papers said the murder charge was aggravated by reason of involving domestic abuse.

He appeared at Londonderry Magistrates’ Court on Friday via videolink.

There was no application for bail and he was remanded in custody until April 23.

Police launched a murder investigation after officers were called to a property in the Summer Meadows Mews area of Derry on Saturday and found 28-year-old Ms Doherty badly injured.

She was taken to hospital where she later died.

Earlier this month, another man appeared in court charged with the murder of 23-year-old Ellie Flanagan in Co Fermanagh, and the partner of Natalie McNally was found guilty of her murder in Lurgan in 2022, when she was 15 weeks pregnant.