THE decision to drop a murder investigation into the death of a man at a fashion millionaire's home has been defended by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Ricci Gallagher, 46, died after an incident at a farmhouse in Sudbury’s Farm Road, Little Burstead, belonging to Richard Glanville, a former executive at a firm that owned high street clothing shops Oasis, Warehouse and Coast.

Mr Glanville, 60, from Billericay, was arrested in connection with the murder probe along with a 54-year-old man from Basildon after the death in July last year, but they were later released without charge.

Mr Gallagher's widow Linda reportedly requested the case be looked at again.

The CPS East of England has now responded to a Victims' Right to Review request over its decision not to charge two men over the incident in Little Burstead, near Billericay.

Chief crown prosecutor for CPS East of England, Jenny Hopkins, said the case had been reviewed, considering the original evidence as well as further information provided by Essex Police and advice from independent Queen's Counsel.

"This has been an extremely difficult case to consider owing to its specific circumstances," she said. "The further evidence provided by the police has not strengthened the case to make a prosecution possible.

"We have now written to the person requesting the review to explain that we have decided there is still insufficient evidence to prosecute either or both men with an offence arising out of Mr Gallagher's death.

"We have explained our reasons on how it is not possible to say that blows were deliberately struck.

"In these circumstances, there is insufficient evidence to prove that there was an intention to kill or an intention to do Mr Gallagher really serious bodily harm or some physical harm.

"Although we have decided there is insufficient evidence, for the sake of completeness we also looked at the law of self-defence.

"We concluded that, given the circumstances, the evidence would not preclude the defence of self-defence.

"I appreciate this is disappointing news and we have offered to meet the person to explain the outcome of their request for a review."

She added the CPS had explained the next stage in the Victims' Right to Review process, which is to contact the CPS Appeals and Review Unit.

"Any decision by the CPS does not imply any finding concerning guilt or criminal conduct," she said. "The CPS makes decisions only according to the test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors and it is applied in all decisions on whether or not to prosecute."

Until 2013, Mr Glanville was chief financial officer for Aurora Fashions, which owned the clothing stores.