THE heartbroken wife of a man found with horrific head injuries told how she will fight for justice after a murder probe into his death was dropped.

Ricci Gallagher, 46, was found critically injured at his neighbour’s home in Sudbury’s Farm Road, Little Burstead.

He died in hospital a week later, on August 6 last year, after his wife Linda decided to switch off his life support machine.

Neighbour Richard Glanville, 60, a former fashion executive of a firm which owned Oasis, Warehouse and Coast, was arrested in connection with the murder investigation along with a 54-year-old man from Basildon - but they were both released without charge.

Echo: Tragic - Ricci Gallagher

Victim - Ricci Gallagher

Despite Mrs Gallagher’s pleas for the Crown Prosecution Service to reopen the case, prosecutors said there was not enough evidence.

She has now asked for the case to be reviewed by an independent body.

The 60-year-old, who has moved from the home she shared with her husband in Blind Lane, Little Burstead, to Leigh, said: “I just feel that Ricci is not here to defend himself and I am the only person who can do that for him, I want to do everything I can.

“There are so many unanswered questions. Someone is responsible for his death.

“He would want me to find justice.”

Echo: Damage - the remains of Mr and Mrs Gallagher's home in Blind Lane

Damage - the remains of Mr and Mrs Gallagher's home in Blind Lane

She told how living without Mr Gallagher for the last year has been “terrible” and the day he was found injured was “like a nightmare.”

Police linked the attack to a fire at the couple’s wooden hut, which destroyed all of Mr Gallagher’s belongings and damaged his car, earlier the same day.

Mrs Gallagher said: “I went to work that morning and I came home and my whole world was upside down.

“My home was burnt down and Ricci was in a coma. I turned the life support off after a week.

“We had been together for 11 years after coming out of previous relationships.

“We were very happy, that’s what seems so cruel about it.

“Everybody knew that we were very happy, he was a special person. He was my whole world.”

In a bid to make something positive out of her husband’s death, Mrs Gallagher has signed up to a 70k trek across Tanzania to raise money for the Essex Air Ambulance.

She hopes to raise £3,300 by the time she embarks on the trek in October next year.

The grandmother-of-two said: “Ricci went in the East Anglian Air Ambulance and Prince William actually flew it.

“He was taken to a London hospital as it specialised in head injuries.

“The treatment that he got was just phenomenal and I want to give something back to our local air ambulance.”

So far, £165 has been raised.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Linda-Gallagher4.