Fashion designer, 53, dies years after £6.9m divorce battle with ‘controlling’ husband who fitted spy cams at home

A FASHION designer has died suddenly several years after enduring a bitter £6.9million divorce battle.

Mum-of-two Tracey Ratcliffe, 53, was tragically found dead over Christmas, as friends pay tribute to an “absolute diamond”.

Her cause of death has not been revealed and a coroner is investigating, MailOnline reports.

Her ex-husband Nicholas Ratcliffe, now 64, used CCTV cameras to spy on Tracey at their £1.3million home, a family court heard.

Tracey’s barrister Anne Hussey QC claimed that Mr Ratcliffe had a “deplorable level of control” over Tracey.

The couple separated in 2016 but continued to live under the same roof in Greater Manchester.

It was during this time, Ms Hussey QC said Mr Ratcliffe – a property mogul – embarked on a “creepy” campaign which the judge said was “designed to drive the wife from the family home”.

As well as the CCTV, the court heard Mr Ratcliffe locked internal doors to restrict movement and left Post-it notes on kitchen items saying “clean me”.

In 2018, he was ordered to leave the family home by a judge and moved into rented accommodation.

Two years later Judge Bernard Wallwork ordered an equal split of a family fortune he believed to be around £6.9million.

Ruling on the case, he said: “This case ranks among the most acrimonious financial remedy cases I have ever dealt with.

“The bitterness and rancour has been considerable and has permeated the proceedings.

“Closed-circuit television was installed within the house to monitor the wife’s movements.

“Locks were placed on internal doors and the husband did not demur when I expressed concern that Post-it notes were left on occasions in the kitchen bearing such messages as, ‘clean me’, ‘unhygienic’ and so on.

“It appears to me that knowing of the wife’s fragile mental health these actions were oppressive.”

As well as getting the £1.3million home and valuable shares, he ordered that Tracey be paid £1.2million in cash instalments.

She would be left with as much liquid cash as possible due to the “deviousness” of Mr Ratcliffe during the divorce proceedings, the judge said.

But Mr Ratcliffe appealed and in 2021 the ruling was overturned after a court accepted his wealth had been “overstated”.

The case was ordered to be heard again but it is not known if a final settlement was agreed before Tracey’s death.

The mum-of-two was a well-known figure selling vintage clothes at Altrincham Market.

Paying tribute ahead of her funeral last Friday, traders remembered Tracey’s “infectious laughter” and “impeccable sense of style”.

They added: “She brought happiness and humour into our lives, and she had an incredible collection of vintage clothing that gave our neighbourhood a one-of-a-kind look because of her contribution.”

Tracey met Mr Ratcliffe at University in 1992 and they married two years later.

He made his money as a consultant finding potential sites for Sainsbury’s supermarkets.

A spokeswoman for Manchester South Coroner’s Office said: “A coronial investigation is underway in relation to the death of Ms Ratcliffe.”