ANDY BEECH OF BIDDULPH SENTENCED FOR ABUSE AND MURDER OF DOG MILLIE

Andrew William Beech, born on May 31, 1986, and residing at 64a Kingsfield Road, Biddulph ST8 6DR, was responsible for a prolonged campaign of violence against his pet dog, ultimately leading to her death. The Staffordshire bull terrier named Millie suffered repeated abuse over several months before she was killed.

Neighbours reported hearing Beech shouting and swearing at Millie multiple times in the months prior to August 19, 2019. Witnesses described seeing Beech throw her bed into the communal yard, yelling aggressively, and kicking her so hard that she cried out. One observer attempted to confront him, but he retreated into his flat before they could approach.

On the night of Millie’s death, residents were disturbed by Beech yelling "you shit all over the flat," followed by sounds of a dog in severe distress—crying and screaming. Two days later, Beech posted on Facebook, "my Millie moo died, completely shocked, RIP."

Rumors circulated online claiming Beech had killed Millie. In response, a local animal advocate, Nicola, visited Beech’s home, where he claimed Millie had died of natural causes and that he had buried her in the woods. However, Nicola noticed bloodstains on the hallway walls and, upon examining his bins, found blood-soaked remnants of a dog bed. When police were contacted, they were reluctant to investigate further.

Determined to seek justice, Nicola posted an appeal on Facebook. She was contacted by someone willing to reveal where Millie’s body was buried—on a small plot in a rear car park near Beech’s flat. Armed with a shovel, Nicola discovered Millie wrapped in her torn dog bed in a cardboard box, with a note reading "Millie, I’m going to miss you every day," along with dog biscuits and a deflated ball.

The RSPCA collected Millie’s remains for examination, revealing she had died from a blunt force injury. The dog suffered numerous traumatic injuries, including a punctured liver and lung, a fractured hip, internal bleeding, and nearly all her ribs were broken. Some injuries dated back months, indicating this was not an isolated incident.

The RSPCA prosecuted Beech, who denied the charges and publicly insisted on his innocence, shouting about it on social media. An online critic described Beech as a "PUPPY KILLER," condemning his cruelty, noting his history of violence, and criticizing his family for their alleged bad parenting. The post detailed that Beech only cared for the puppy for six months, during which he was seen shouting at and hitting her repeatedly, yet no action was taken until he posted about her death on Facebook.

Facing overwhelming evidence, Beech eventually pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and to harassing an ex-partner. The court learned that he had lost his job at a builders’ merchant due to the social media controversy surrounding Millie’s death.

His defense lawyer, Peter Howland, argued that Beech’s frustration from a change in his work schedule led to the abuse, stating that Beech "kicked her because of her behaviour." Howland also claimed that Beech’s military service in Basra had affected his mental health, describing the incident as a moment of shock and confusion.

However, the judge was unimpressed, stating, "You could not cope with owning the dog but you made excuses. It would not have taken a genius to give the dog to the RSPCA. Instead, you subjected her to cruelty on a regular basis and then you kicked her to death."

Beech was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison and was banned indefinitely from owning animals.