'British Bill Gates' co-defendant in US trial died after being hit by car days before yacht sank

The co-defendant of missing British tech tycoon Mike Lynch in his US fraud trial has tragically died after being hit by a car.

Stephen Chamberlain, 52, was out running in Cambridgeshire on Saturday (17 August) morning when he was fatally struck by a vehicle, his lawyer said.

The businessman - who was the former vice-president of finance at Lynch's software firm Autonomy - was reportedly put on life support before he sadly succumbed to his injuries.

Just a few months ago, Chamberlain was stood alongside the tech magnate - who remains missing alongside five others after his super yacht sank off the coast of Sicily - in a US court facing the same charges.

He and Lynch were both facing up to two decades behind bars if they were convicted of numerous fraud charges linked to the sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11billion (£8.64billion) back in 2011.

Mike Lynch's co-defendant, Stephen Chamberlain, died on Saturday (LinkedIn)

They were accused of scheming to inflate the company's value before it was sold, however, a jury in San Francisco acquitted the pair of all 15 charges in June this year.

Chamberlain went on to work at cybersecurity firm Darktrace as chief operating officer while volunteering as Cambridge United's finance director after he left Autonomy in 2012.

A spokesperson for Darktrace described him as a 'substantial contributor' to the team, adding: "Steve was much loved by his colleagues and leaves many friends at Darktrace.

"We extend our deepest condolences to his wife and the rest of his family who are very much in our thoughts at this challenging time."

His heartbroken family have also paid tribute to Chamberlain in a statement released by Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

It 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.

The tech tycoon remains missing alongside his 18-year-old daughter and four others (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

"He made a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him," it continued. "He will be deeply missed but forever in the hearts of his loved ones."

Chamberlain's lawyer, Gary Lincenberg, added: "He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity, and we deeply miss him. He fought successfully to clear his good name, which lives on through his wonderful family."

The driver of the car, a 49-year-old woman from Haddenham, remained at the scene and police said she is assisting with enquiries into the incident.

Chamberlain's death has quite eerie timing, as it came just days before Lynch disappeared when a £14 million yacht sank in the Mediterranean in the early hours of Monday (19 August) morning following a nasty storm on the coast of Sicily.

A waterspout tornado struck the boat while it was anchored at port with 22 guests and crew on board.

Lynch's super yacht was sank on the coast of Sicily (Italian Fire and Rescue Service)

It was capsized in a matter of minutes, but 15 people - including a child - were rescued by emergency services.

Those who helped in the frantic rescue efforts have now spoken out about the chaos that unfolded off the coast, with one eyewitness recalling how the super yacht 'went flat on the water and then down'.

However, the hunt continues for Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, who are among the six people that are still missing after the incident on Monday.

Reports claim that Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of Morgan Stanley International Bank chairman and Clifford Chance lawyer, Chris Morvillo, were also onboard when the boat sank.

One body was already recovered from the water yesterday.

While examining the submerged wreck of the 55-metre long superyacht, divers today claimed that they had seen bodies in the sailboat, according to local media outlet, Corriere Della Sera.