Try GOLD - Free
Autonomy tycoon's guard pays tribute to 'genuine and loving' family
The Guardian
|August 26, 2024
The armed guard assigned to Mike Lynch while he faced fraud charges has described how close he became to the "loving" tech entrepreneur and his family.
Appointed by the court, Rolo Igno, said he was supposed to stay distant but that the professional relationship "quickly dissolved" when Lynch invited him to spend time with his family.
Lynch and six others were killed when his luxury superyacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily early on Monday after it was struck by a powerful storm wind called a downburst.
Lynch had been celebrating his acquittal from fraud charges relating to the £8.6bn sale of his software company Autonomy to HewlettPackard in 2011.
He was cleared in June after a trial at a federal court in San Francisco, California.
In an interview with the Press Association, Igno said he had the "privilege" of spending "almost every waking moment" with Lynch while he was in custody in San Francisco. "As an executive protection agent, the number one rule is simple, don't ever get close to the principal," he said.
This story is from the August 26, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Guardian
The Guardian
'People feel very scared' Racist rhetoric is returning, PM warns
Decades-old racism is returning to British politics and “makes people feel very scared” Keir Starmer has said, warning that divisive hard-right politics is “tearing our country apart”.
2 mins
November 12, 2025
The Guardian
Sentencing plans 'devastating' for abuse victims, says commissioner
Violent partners will be allowed to \"return to harassing, stalking and abusing\" with impunity under a bill before parliament that is supposed to ease prison overcrowding, a watchdog has warned.
1 min
November 12, 2025
The Guardian
Shouting 'that's my pasty!' is best way to deter greedy gulls – study
Some people respond to the unwanted attentions of a gull eyeing up a bag of chips or a Cornish pasty by frantically flapping their hands while others beat a rapid retreat into the nearest seaside shelter.
1 mins
November 12, 2025
The Guardian
Children's TV on YouTube lacks 'nourishment', author tells MPs
Lots of children's programming made for YouTube is \"not entertainment, it's sedation\", the children's laureate has told MPs.
1 min
November 12, 2025
The Guardian
Epping hotel can continue to house asylum seekers, high court rules
Asylum seekers can continue to be housed at an Essex hotel that became a flashpoint for anti-immigration protests during the summer, the high court has ruled.
2 mins
November 12, 2025
The Guardian
UK suspends sharing of intelligence with US on suspected Caribbean drug-trafficking vessels
Britain has suspended the sharing of intelligence on suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean with Washington amid concerns it may be used to engage in lethal military strikes by US forces.
3 mins
November 12, 2025
The Guardian
Portrait of burns survivor wins Taylor Wessing prize
A portrait of a burns survivor gazing thoughtfully out of a window has won one of the world's most prestigious photography prizes.
1 mins
November 12, 2025
The Guardian
Tech firms to test AI tools' ability to make child abuse images
Tech companies and child protection agencies will be given the power to test whether artificial intelligence tools can produce child abuse images under a new UK law.
2 mins
November 12, 2025
The Guardian
Toy sales surge as 'kidults' embrace the 'joy economy'
There could be tug of war under the Christmas tree this year due to the growing trend of adult toy collectors, a rundown of the season's musthaves suggests.
2 mins
November 12, 2025
The Guardian
Courting trouble?
Possible outcomes of libel threat
2 mins
November 12, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size