A WOMAN has said her husband was left for dead after a brutal attack at a fundraiser for murdered soldier Lee Rigby – and she is convinced it was racially-motivated.

The jaw of the 39-year-old Asian man, who wishes to remain anonymous, was broken in two places when he was beaten by up to eight white men at the Circus Tavern, in Arterial Road, Purfleet, on August 31.

The couple were with a group of friends attending a fundraiser for the family of Lee Rigby, who was brutally killed in Woolwich earlier this year, when the attack took place.

The victim was knocked unconscious and then repeatedly kicked in the head, and the violence only stopped when bouncers intervened. The attackers fled and have so far not be brought to justice.

His wife said: “Everybody else in the club was white. We were the only Asian people there. It’s hard not to consider it could have been a racially-motivated attack.

“People like that (the attackers) don’t care about you if you’re not white. They just left my husband for dead. He was very lucky to survive, he took so many blows to the head.

“The next person they attack might not be so lucky. They need to be caught.”

She said the attack had left the couple and their three children struggling to make ends meet for Christmas, with their only source of income being insurance money as her husband had not returned to work since.

Two of the victim’s friends were also assaulted, but their injuries were less serious.

Investigating officer, Det Con Tony Miller, said there is currently no suggestion the attack was racially or religiously aggravated, although he conceded it was possible the group were singled out due to an assumed religious group connection.

He added: “We want to hear from anyone at that event who might have seen anything of the assault or people being ejected from the club by the door staff.”

Anyone with information should contact Det Con Miller at Grays CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 888111.