A fundraising appeal to cover the funeral costs of a beloved pub landlord, whose death led to a murder investigation, has raised more than £10,000. Matt O'Gara, a director of The Plough pub in Huddlesford, near Lichfield, passed away on May 26, several days after an alleged attack at the Ricco and Lauren bar in the city.
Community Support
Organiser Elaine Hutchings described Matt as “full of life” and the “gel between pockets of friends.” On the GoFundMe page, she wrote: “You cannot prepare or comprehend for this kind of tragedy at such a young age. A kind man so full of life with so much to look forward to, so cruelly taken.” She added: “Without knowing, Matt was the gel between pockets of friends and he seamlessly ‘Matted’ those groups together, forming an environment where you could simply walk in alone and sit in with anyone because he’d bought togetherness.”
Legacy of Friendship
Hutchings noted that Matt’s tireless work ethic, love of football, live music, and travel left a legacy of friendship and goodness. “The void left by Matt will be incomprehensible for many people and many years to come,” she said. All donations will go toward funeral costs, with any surplus donated to a Brain Injury Charity.
Murder Charge
Billy Allison, 36, from Solihull, has been charged with murder and Section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent. He has been remanded in custody, with a trial scheduled for October 2026.
