A driver who killed a young motorcyclist and then fabricated an extensive brain injury to evade prosecution has been sentenced to 12 years in prison, after one of Merseyside Police's largest ever investigations exposed his lies with footage of him playing rugby and enjoying family outings.
The Fatal Crash and the Fabricated Injury
Steven Naylor, 41, from St Helens, Merseyside, was driving a black Audi A4 when he collided with a red Suzuki motorbike ridden by 23-year-old Owen Baugh on the M62 in Manchester in April 2021. Mr Baugh was thrown into the road, struck by another vehicle, and later pronounced dead in hospital. In the aftermath, Naylor constructed what police later termed "a piece of fiction", claiming the crash had left him with a severe brain injury that rendered him mentally incapable of facing the consequences of his actions.
He maintained for years that he could barely walk, using a crutch and walking with a pronounced limp. These claims initially succeeded in court, where he was found not guilty of failing to provide a blood sample. He avoided being charged over Owen Baugh's death for a significant period.
The Painstaking Police Operation That Unravelled the Lies
Merseyside Police, refusing to accept his story, launched a massive and complex inquiry. Detectives painstakingly compiled hundreds of hours of CCTV and mobile phone footage that painted a starkly different picture of Naylor's life. The evidence showed a man living a fully functional and active lifestyle, wholly at odds with his claims of debilitating injury.
The uncovered clips were damning. They captured Naylor playing rugby, dancing enthusiastically at a festival, smiling on holiday, carrying trays of beer in a pub, and even driving a speedboat. This evidence systematically dismantled his story of incapacity.
Justice Served at Liverpool Crown Court
Confronted with the overwhelming evidence, along with fresh medical assessments, Naylor's facade finally crumbled. He pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and causing death by dangerous driving. Nearly five years after the fatal crash, he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court this week.
His wife, 40-year-old Lisa Naylor, who had supported the deception, was also jailed for four and a half years after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice. Bodycam footage from their arrest last year showed her attempting to maintain the charade, telling officers her husband "has a brain injury so he can get a bit overwhelmed," while he pretended to be unable to walk without support.
Detective Constable Clare Barker, who led the investigation, stated: "This has been an incredibly challenging case, not just because of its complexity, but because of the deliberate and sustained dishonesty shown by the suspects over such a long period of time." She described their actions as "callous" and said they had compounded the heartache of Owen Baugh's grieving family.
Following the sentencing, Owen's family released a statement saying their lives had come to a "total, devastating stop" since April 2021. They described Owen as a kind-hearted person whose presence filled any room, and thanked the emergency services and members of the public who tried to help on the night of the collision.
