Killer driver claimed he was too ill to face justice. Then unearthed footage showed him playing rugby
In one of Merseyside Police biggest ever operations, detectives were able to unravel Steven Naylor’s ‘piece of fiction’ through startling footage of him playing sport, in the pub and driving a speedboat
A driver who killed a young motorcyclist and tried to evade justice by claiming he had a brain injury has been jailed after a huge police operation uncovered footage of him playing rugby, dancing at a festival and smiling on holiday.
Steven Naylor, 41, of St Helens, Merseyside, crashed into Owen Baugh’s motorbike on the M62 in Manchester in April 2021. The 23-year-old was thrown into the road and hit by another vehicle and later died.
Naylor avoided being charged over the death after claiming to have suffered a brain injury in the incident. He also said he could barely walk and was still walking with a limp and using a crutch, years after the crash.
He was found not guilty in court after he was charged with failing to consent to provide a blood sample for analysis.
However, Naylor’s “deliberate and sustained dishonesty” was brought to an end after police uncovered hundreds of hours of CCTV and mobile phone footage showing Naylor going about his daily routine and enjoying outings with his family.
After being shown the evidence compiled on him, along with fresh medical assessments, Naylor pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and causing death by dangerous driving. This week, nearly five years after Owen’s death, he was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court for 12 years.
His wife, Lisa Naylor, 40, was also jailed for four and a half years after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice.
Detective Constable Clare Barker said she hoped the sentencing would bring some comfort to Owen’s family, who, she said, had suffered additional heartache through the ordeal as a result of the couple’s “callous” behaviour.
Merseyside Police said Naylor was driving a black Audi A4 car when it hit Owen’s red Suzuki bike, with the motorcyclist pronounced dead in hospital a short time later.
After the crash, Naylor launched into “a piece of fiction”, the force said, claiming he was mentally incapable of facing the consequences of his actions. The force accepted that he suffered physical injuries in the crash, but that the extent of his claims was untrue.
The reality of his story began to unravel as the force launched one of its largest-ever investigations, unearthing footage showing him playing rugby, at a festival, in pubs and driving a speedboat.
Even during his subsequent arrest last year, Naylor and his wife attempted to keep up the facade, with bodycam footage showing her tell officers “he’s got a brain injury so he can get a bit overwhelmed”, as he sat on a sofa.
When taken into the police station, Naylor then appeared unable to walk, requiring the support of officers.
DC Barker said: “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.
“They repeatedly claimed that Steven Naylor was unable to live a functioning life and was mentally incapable of being able to face the consequences of his actions whilst driving on that fateful April 2021 night.
“Yet the evidence we have painstakingly gathered has shown a very different lifestyle than what was portrayed. This evidence clearly showed Steven Naylor going about his daily routine and enjoying outings with his family, all whilst showing no regard for the grieving family of Owen Baugh.”
She added: “The actions of Steven and Lisa Naylor have been nothing short of callous and have not allowed Owen’s already grieving family and friends to begin to make steps forward.”
Following Owen’s death, his family described him as a “kind-hearted person” whose “presence filled any room he walked in”.
This week, they said: “Since Mr Naylor's actions on the night of 25 April 2021, our lives have come to a total, devastating stop.
“The ripple effect has travelled as far as America, Pakistan and Dubai, where some of his best friends now live. His girlfriend still struggles to live a normal life.
“We would like to thank all the emergency services who dealt with the horrific incident on that night and members of the public who helped to try and divert traffic around the incident.”
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