Andrew Murphy’s body was found on Millisle Beach two months after he disappeared from Wirral. His family believes he was attacked and thrown into the River Mersey
The family of a Wirral father, whose body was discovered on a beach in Northern Ireland two months after he vanished, suspects he was assaulted and “thrown into the water”.
Andrew Murphy, 47, was last spotted on 29 March last year, with CCTV footage showing him in a Go Local off-licence. Merseyside Police launched several missing person appeals as his family described his disappearance as “completely out of character”.
His remains were discovered by a dog walker on Millisle Beach in County Down, Northern Ireland, on 21 May 2025.
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During an inquest held at Downpatrick Courthouse on, Friday, 27 February, it was revealed that Mr Murphy had left his flat around 10.30am on the morning of 29 March to buy alcohol, milk, and a fizzy drink for his daughter from the nearby Aldi on Bebington Road, New Ferry.
His partner, Sarah Hassall, grew concerned when he failed to return after approximately an hour, especially since she had entrusted him with her bank card, according to BelfastLive. Mr Murphy was described as a “functioning chronic alcoholic”, and his morning trip to the shop to purchase alcohol was part of his daily routine.
When Ms Hassall rang him, Andrew claimed he’d bumped into some people and said “I have to pay them money”. After she urged him to get home quickly, he responded “I can’t pay them.”
Her subsequent attempts to reach him were unsuccessful, with the call failing to connect. On the afternoon of 21 May 2025, a dog walker discovered Mr Murphy’s body on Millisle Beach. His mobile phone, rucksack containing the items he’d bought from Aldi, along with Ms Hassall’s bank card were all recovered beside him.
Providing testimony at the inquest, forensic pathologist Dr Hugo Haller-Shannon revealed he carried out a post-mortem examination of Mr Murphy’s body on 22 May 2025. He noted that one of Mr Murphy’s legs was absent, later washing up on the Scottish coastline in June 2025.
Given the advanced state of decomposition, establishing a definitive cause of death proved impossible. He stated there was nothing to exclude third-party involvement in Mr Murphy’s death, though equally nothing to indicate it.
Dr Haller-Shannon further noted the absence of pathological indicators of drowning owing to decomposition, explaining that drowning characteristics vanish shortly after death.
The examination revealed a “severe” accumulation of fatty plaque within Mr Murphy’s coronary artery, resulting in approximately 70% narrowing of the arteries surrounding the heart, which potentially could have triggered a heart attack upon entering the water. A toxicology report, conducted using a sample of Mr Murphy’s liver, was tested for drugs and alcohol.
The findings revealed only traces of cannabis, with it remaining uncertain whether he had consumed alcohol at the time of his demise. Dr Haller-Shannon stated that the cause of death “could not be ascertained”.
During the inquest, Mr Murphy’s sister Karen Amirlatifi queried the pathologist about Andrew’s missing front teeth. Dr Haller-Shannon confirmed that his two front incisors were indeed absent, and he also had a broken nose.
Ms Amirlatifi expressed her belief: “I believe Andrew was assaulted that day. A few days before he went missing, he was being bullied by another drinker. He was a lone drinker, so wouldn’t have drank on the street.”
The pathologist acknowledged that it “cannot be ruled out” that Mr Murphy received a blow to the face during a confrontation. However, Dr Haller-Shannon suggested that his body could have “quite easily” sustained such injuries whilst crossing the Irish Sea.
Mr Murphy’s partner Ms Hassall, speaking at the inquest, shared her suspicion that he encountered individuals who would consume alcohol on a bench near the River Mersey, based on his assertion that he “had to pay money.” She speculated that “they have beaten him and thrown him into the water”.
However, at the time, she thought he might have been indulging in a “weekend blow-out” ahead of his scheduled admission to a rehab centre three days later.
PSNI Detective Constable Walker informed the inquest that she attended the scene after a dog walker discovered Mr Murphy’s remains on the shoreline. She explained that Ms Hassall’s bank card, Andrew’s mobile phone, and his rucksack were all found on him, with these items and fingerprint analysis enabling identification in conjunction with Merseyside Police, following a missing persons appeal.
Presenting his conclusions, Coroner Joe McCrisken stated he is satisfied Mr Murphy entered the River Mersey, with his remains subsequently washing up at Millisle. He noted he “cannot exclude” three potential scenarios surrounding his death: involvement of another party, cardiac arrest, or a tragic accident.
Coroner McCrisken ruled Mr Murphy’s cause of death as “unascertained”, and given his family “strongly feel” another party was involved, he will pass his conclusions to the local coroner in Merseyside alongside Merseyside Police.
