Husband who claimed he was too injured to be prosecuted for killing motorcyclist in drink drive crash was caught out after he was filmed raving, kayaking, and coaching rugby

Published: 14:24, 9 January 2026 | Updated: 18:09, 9 January 2026

A drunk driver who claimed he was too injured to be prosecuted after he killed a young man in a high-speed crash was caught out after he was filmed dancing at a rave and kayaking.

Steven Naylor, 41, was driving at speeds of up to 120mph when he ploughed his Audi into the back of a motorbike being ridden by Owen Baugh on the M62 near Liverpool in April 2021.

The 23-year-old from Manchester was knocked into the carriageway and was killed after he was mown down by another vehicle.

While Naylor was himself left seriously injured, having been impaled on a wooden fence when his car veered off the road, both him and his wife Lisa set about weaving a web of lies to prevent him from facing justice.

The couple vastly exaggerated the extent of the injuries he suffered in the collision, claiming he could barely walk.

However, police soon uncovered pictures and videos of Naylor playing rugby, kayaking and going on boating trips, holidaying abroad and shopping at Aldi [2].

He also attended his brothers' wedding and gave a speech at the event, with separate photos showing him helping someone climb up a tree.

Steven Naylor, 41, was caught out after police discovered pictures of him attending a rave

Owen Baugh, 23, from Manchester was knocked into the carriageway and was killed after he was mown down by another vehicle

Police also found pictures of Naylor kayaking and on boat trips, despite claiming he couldn't walk

Liverpool Crown Court yesterday heard the Naylors had hosted a belated birthday party for Lisa at their home address in St Helens on the evening of April 24, 2021.

However, after the guests had left Lisa woke up in the early hours to find her 41-year-old husband had left the house, leaving his phone on the bedside table.

Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said: 'For some unknown reason, after consuming alcohol during the course of the evening, Stephen Naylor chose to get into his car and ended up driving along the M62 motorway.'

Naylor was captured on CCTV travelling behind Mr Baugh's motorcycle at roughly 120mph while also 'flashing his headlights to get people to move out of the way'.

The father-of-four's car then struck the back of the bike, pushing it towards the hard shoulder of the motorway.

The court heard Mr Baugh subsequently fell into the left hand lane of the M62, where he was struck by another vehicle and killed.

Naylor's Audi, meanwhile, continued onto the grass verge at the side of the motorway, smashing through a wooden fence and coming to rest in an adjacent field.

This resulted in a 'long piece of the fencing' piercing the front windscreen and impaling him to the left shoulder area, the hearing was told.

Police officers and paramedics who attended the incident reported a 'strong smell of alcohol' when speaking to Naylor, who commented that 'he was not the one worth helping, but that they should concentrate on assisting any others involved in the accident'.

He remained in hospital for several weeks before he was eventually discharged on June 10, 2021.

But it was at this point that the Naylors' deception began, when they claimed he did not have the capacity to consent to a sample of his blood, taken in the aftermath of the crash as he lay unconscious, being submitted for analysis.

Steven Naylor (left) and Lisa Naylor (right) spun a web of lies and were convicted of perverting the course of justice

Lisa Naylor was sent a video of her husband playing rugby on April 2023, while messages also showed their plans to attend an 80s disco night

And despite being charged with failing to provide a specimen of blood to police, he was cleared of this offence by magistrates in July 2023 due to the evidence of a psychiatrist, who said Naylor had presented as 'distressed' and 'hyperventilating' during a video link consultation.

Lisa also claimed that her partner's short term memory had deteriorated, in addition to ongoing issues with his 'walking and gait'.

However, detectives subsequently discovered that she had been sent a video of her husband playing rugby on April 2023, while messages also showed their plans to attend an 80s disco night.

Naylor was also captured on numerous occasions in June and July 2023 visiting Aldi and Morrisons supermarkets independently and carrying his own shopping.

Furthermore he attended his brother's wedding, even delivering a speech during the celebrations, with pictures taken in August 2023 also showing him in a canoe and 'helping somebody climb a tree'.

The couple were interviewed by police in October 2024 on the basis of these findings.

Naylor has since been jailed for 12 years after he admitted causing death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.

His wife was also charged with perverting the course of justice and was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

Owen's family yesterday issued the following statement: 'Since Mr Naylor's actions on the night of 25 April 2021, out 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.

'A special thank you to Merseyside Police and in particular Sgt Andy Roper, Claire and Jack for their determined effort to bring this evil individual who has never shown an ounce of remorse since day one to justice.'

Manchester Aldi [3][4]

References

^ OLIVIA CHRISTIE, NEWS REPORTER (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Aldi (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Manchester (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Aldi (www.dailymail.co.uk)