Family of Mike Lynch colleague Stephen Chamberlain concerned about ‘missing details’ in police probe

The family of a businessman who died after being involved in a road accident while out running have concerns about the police investigation into his death, an inquest heard.

Stephen Chamberlain, 52, an associate of late tech tycoon Mike Lynch[1], died in hospital three days after being in collision with a car on 17 August last year.

He died from a "traumatic head injury" following the incident on the A1123 in Cambridgeshire, just days after Mr Lynch had died when his superyacht sank in the Mediterranean[2].

A previous hearing heard that Mr Chamberlain, who was known as Steve, collided with a car travelling between Stretham and Wicken.

The vehicle crested a humpback bridge and struck him as he crossed the road between two parts of a bridleway.

Data taken from Mr Chamberlain's fitness app Strava indicated he was around six miles into his run having set out from Ely earlier that morning.

He was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge but died three days later.

The driver of the car, a 49-year-old woman from Haddenham, remained at the scene and was assisting with inquiries, police said at the time.

Lawyers representing Mr Chamberlain's family told a pre-inquest review at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Coroner's Court that key information was missing from the police's collision investigation report.

Stephen Chamberlain was killed whilst out running on Saturday in the village of Stretham in Cambridgeshire. Credit: Cambridgeshire Police

Sally Hobson, representing Mr Chamberlain's family, said: "I make it very clear, that we are not for one moment involved in this inquest with a view to it being a blame game.

"It is simply so that the family can be aware of the full details of what took place prior to the collision and in the immediate aftermath before Mr Chamberlain was taken to the hospital."

Ms Hobson added details of what was said at the scene together with the responsibilities of the driver were missing from the report.

Area coroner Caroline Jones said she would be directing the police to produce further information but would not be ordering an independent report.

"The former Lord Chief Justice was very clear this should not be seen as a surrogate public inquiry," she said.

"As much as I would love to have the time and resources to thoroughly investigate each and every case that comes before the court, we simply have to be proportionate in the evidence we gather in cases so that we may answer those statutory questions.

"I note that the officers involved in the collision investigation have outlined what additional information they have obtained.

"They might also be able to assuage some of the family concerns."

Ms Jones said the full inquest into Mr Chamberlain's death would also hear evidence of his routine and preparation before going out for a run.

The coroner adjourned the hearing for a full inquest to take place later this year.

Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah both died in the sinking of the Bayesian. Credit: Family photo/PA handout

Tech tycoon Mr Lynch and his daughter died after his Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily in August last year.

Mr Lynch, 59, who lived at the Loudham Hall estate near Woodbridge, was found dead in the yacht after it capsized during a storm.

His daughter Hannah, who was 18, had just secured a place at Oxford University.

Mr Chamberlain was the co-defendant in his US trial and, alongside Mr Lynch, was cleared last year of conducting a massive fraud over the sale of software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

HP acquired Cambridge-based Autonomy, founded by Mr Lynch in 1996, for GBP8.35bn, but later wrote down its value by GBP6.68bn and asked the US justice department to investigate fraud.

Mr Chamberlain, a former vice-president of finance at the company, was accused of artificially inflating Autonomy's revenues and making false and misleading statements to auditors, analysts and regulators in 2018.

Both he and Mr Lynch were found not guilty of the charge in June last year following a trial at a federal court in San Francisco, California.

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References

1. ^ Mike Lynch (www.itv.com)
2. ^ superyacht sank in the Mediterranean (www.itv.com)