A drink driver who killed a young motorcyclist and then pretended to be too severely injured to face prosecution has been jailed after footage emerged of him playing rugby, dancing and enjoying beers.
The Fatal Crash and Web of Deceit
Steven Naylor, 41, was driving at speeds of up to 120mph on the M62 near Liverpool in April 2021 when he ploughed his Audi into the back of a motorbike ridden by 23-year-old Owen Baugh from Manchester. Mr Baugh was thrown into the carriageway and fatally struck by another vehicle.
Naylor's car veered off the road, smashing through a fence, with a wooden post impaling him. Despite his own serious injuries, he and his wife, Lisa Naylor, embarked on an elaborate deception. They vastly exaggerated his condition, claiming he had a brain injury and could barely walk, in a bid to prevent him from being prosecuted.
The Arrest and Unravelling Lies
Bodycam footage from Merseyside Police shows officers arriving at the couple's home in St Helens to arrest Naylor. Lisa Naylor is heard telling police: "He's obviously got a brain injury he can't exactly run anywhere." Naylor left his home on crutches, feigning a severe limp at the police station.
However, detectives soon uncovered a trove of evidence exposing the couple as liars. They found videos and pictures from 2023 showing Naylor playing rugby, kayaking, giving a speech at his brother's wedding, shopping independently at Aldi, and enjoying a beer in a pub. In one image, he was even seen helping someone climb a tree.
Justice Served for a Family's Agony
At Liverpool Crown Court on January 9, the full extent of the crash and the subsequent cover-up was laid bare. The court heard Naylor had been drinking at a birthday party before deciding to drive. He was "flashing his headlights" at high speed before the collision.
Naylor was cleared of failing to provide a blood specimen in 2023 after a psychiatrist supported his claims of incapacity. But the new evidence led to his downfall. Steven Naylor was sentenced to 12 years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice. Lisa Naylor was jailed for four and a half years for perverting the course of justice.
In a heartfelt statement, Owen Baugh's family said their lives had come to a "devastating stop" and thanked Merseyside Police for their "determined effort" to bring the "evil individual" to justice, noting Naylor had shown no remorse.
