20 August 2024, 09:54 | Updated: 20 August 2024, 10:23

Tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s co-defendant has died in hospital after being hit by a car days before a superyacht carrying the ‘British Bill Gates’ sunk in Italy.

Stephen Chamberlain was Mr Lynch’s co-defendant in his US fraud trial, in which both were acquitted. It followed the sale of software giant Autonomy for $11bn (£8.64bn).

Mr Chamberlain was Autonomy’s vice president of finance alongside Mr Lynch as chief executive.

He was hit by a car in Cambridgeshire on Saturday morning and rushed to hospital with serious injuries and later confirmed to have died.

It happened just days before a superyacht sunk off the Sicily coast, with Mr Lynch and his daughter among six still missing.

The British-flagged luxury yacht, named Bayesian, capsized at about 5am local time off the coast of Palermo on Monday after being hit by a tornado.

It has since been revealed the trip was intended to be a ‘victory’ celebration, after Mr Lynch was acquitted.

Read more: ‘The missing six’: Search resumes for British tech tycoon and daughter, 18, after superyacht sinks off Sicilian coast

Read more: ‘I held her with all my strength’: Brit mother reveals how she saved her baby as superyacht sank in tornado off Sicily

In a statement, Mr Chamberlain’s lawyer Gary Lincenberg told MailOnline: “Our dear client and friend Steve Chamberlain was fatally struck by a car on Saturday while out running. 

“He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity. We deeply miss him. 

“Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family.”

Cambridgeshire Police said there has been nothing to suggest any suspicious circumstances around Mr Chamberlain’s death.

They added that the driver of the car involved was speaking to the police voluntarily and had not been arrested.

At this stage, there is no link between the two incidents – and British detectives have not been contacted by Italian authorities as of yet, police said.

A statement said: “The pedestrian involved in the collision on Saturday has died in hospital and can now be named as 52-year-old Stephen Chamberlain of Station Road, Longstanton, Cambridgeshire.”

Paying tribute to Mr Chamberlain, his family said: “Steve was a much-loved husband, father, son, brother and friend.

“He was an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible.

“He made a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

“He will be deeply missed but forever in the hearts of his loved ones.”

Anyone with information or dashcam footage of the collision, or the moments before or after, should contact the force via 101 and ask to speak with Detective Constable Kevin Drury in the serious collision investigation unit (SCIU).