Killer driver claimed he was too ill to face justice. Then unearthed footage showed him playing rugby
A driver who killed a young motorcyclist and tried to evade justice by claiming he had a brain injury has been jailed after a major police operation uncovered footage of him playing rugby, dancing at a festival and smiling on holiday.
Steven Naylor, 41, from St Helens, Merseyside, crashed into Owen Baugh’s motorbike on the M62 in Manchester in April 2021. The 23-year-old man died when he ran onto the road and was hit by another vehicle.
Naylor avoided being charged in the death after claiming he suffered brain damage in the incident. He also said that years after the accident he could barely walk and still walks with a limp and using crutches.
He was found not guilty in court after being accused of not allowing a blood sample to be given for analysis.
But Naylor’s “deliberate and sustained dishonesty” came to an end when 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 evidence compiled against him and new medical assessments, Naylor pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and causing death by dangerous driving. This week, almost five years after Owen’s death, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court.
His wife Lisa Nayor, 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 sentence would provide some relief to Owen’s family, who, she said, had suffered further heartache from the ordeal due to the couple’s “callous” behaviour.
Merseyside Police said Naylor crashed a black Audi A4 car into Owen’s red Suzuki motorcycle, and the motorcyclist was pronounced dead in hospital a short time later.
Police said after the crash Naylor engaged in “a fiction” and claimed he was mentally incompetent to face the consequences of his actions. He acknowledged he was physically injured in the crash but said the extent of his claims were untrue, police said.
The truth of his story began to emerge as police launched one of their biggest ever investigations and uncovered footage showing him at a festival, playing rugby in pubs and driving a speedboat.
Naylor and his wife tried to maintain that front even during his subsequent arrest last year, with body camera footage showing him telling officers “he has a brain injury so he might be a little depressed” while sitting on the couch.
When Naylor was taken to the police station, he appeared unable to walk and required support from officers.
Det Cons Barker said: “This has been an incredibly challenging case, not only because of its complexity, but also because of the deliberate and sustained dishonesty shown by the suspects over such a long period of time.
“They have repeatedly claimed that Steven Naylor is unable to live a functioning life and is mentally unable to face the consequences of his actions while driving on that fateful night in April 2021.
“Yet the evidence we have painstakingly collected has shown a very different lifestyle to that depicted. This evidence clearly shows that Steven Naylor maintained his daily routine and enjoyed outings with his family, but showed no regard for the grieving family of Owen Baugh.”
He added: “Steven and Lisa Naylor’s actions were nothing short of insensitive and did not allow Owen’s already suffering family and friends to take any forward steps.”
Following Owen’s death, his family described him as a “kind-hearted person” whose “presence filled every room he entered.”
They said this week: “Since Mr Naylor’s actions on the night of 25 April 2021, our lives have come to a completely devastating halt.
“The ripple effect spread as far as America, Pakistan and Dubai, where some of his best friends now live. His girlfriend is still struggling to live a normal life.
“We would like to thank all the emergency services who attended to the horrific incident that night and the citizens who helped direct traffic away from the scene.”
