A drunk dad who used his car as a weapon on Father’s Day has been jailed after ploughing into pub‐goers and shattering a man’s leg in a horrific attack.
Liam Naylor acted in “temper and anger” following a pub dispute that spilled outside, ultimately leading him to use his car as a weapon while shouting: “Who the f*** do you think you’re looking at? Do you know who I am?”
His victim had seemingly tried to prevent the plumber from driving off while more than twice over the legal alcohol limit, but instead found himself run down and hospitalised for several days after undergoing a gruelling nine-hour surgical procedure, the ECHO reports..
View 4 ImagesA man dives over railings outside the Queens Arms pub in Huyton as Liam Naylor’s car ploughs towards him
Unable to earn a living for nine months afterwards, he yesterday branded his assailant a “small man who wanted to fight the world” and informed the court: “Father’s Day will never be the same for our family again.”
Liverpool Crown Court was told on Wednesday afternoon (June 24) that Naylor became embroiled in a “disagreement” with several men inside the Queens Arms pub in Huyton around 5.15pm on June 15 last year. The groups were subsequently observed shaking hands, which “appeared to resolve things” and “calmed the atmosphere”.
Nevertheless, Holly Menary, prosecuting, outlined how moments later, multiple males congregated around Naylor’s vehicle outside the venue, with the 31-year-old, from Fairclough Road, heard yelling: “Who the f*** do you think you’re looking at? Do you know who I am?”
Several customers attempted to open the driver’s side door of Naylor’s vehicle before he accelerated forwards, reversed, then “ploughed his car into the small crowd” while “hanging his head out of the window, appearing to be shouting aggressively”. Mobile phone footage filmed by one bystander showed a man being knocked down by the car as a woman could be heard screaming: “You soft c***. You soft c***.”
Elsewhere, another man was spotted vaulting head first over a set of railings to escape being struck, sending his pint of beer crashing to the ground in the process. The man mowed down by the vehicle, John Amore, was reportedly “trying to stop the defendant from driving, as he was plainly unfit to do so”.
The 61 year old was left requiring hospital surgery after sustaining fractures to both his tibia and fibula. In a statement read out to the court on his behalf, he revealed he had been departing the Queens Arms at the time of the incident, having spent Father’s Day celebrating at the pub.
View 4 ImagesLiam Naylor has been jailed(Image: Merseyside Police)
As a direct result of Mr Amore’s injuries, his partner of 20 years, who works for the NHS, has been forced to rise at 5am to help wash and dress him before heading off to work. A keen runner, kickboxer and cyclist prior to the incident, he said: “My recovery is going to take a long time. My leg will never be the way it was before the incident happened.
“As a result of this small man wanting to fight the world, my life has been altered for the rest of my life. Never did I think when I left the house I would sustain injuries that would cause such an impact and destruction.
“The effect of this man’s actions will stay with me forever. I’ve gone from an active man to not being able to work, provide for myself or enjoy activities I did before. His behaviour that day will stay with me forever and has changed my life for the worse forever.
“I underwent a nine-hour operation and a skin graft from my thigh. I spent nine days in hospital. I was unable to work for nine months, which left me feeling down and worthless. I attended six weeks of talking therapy, but talking about that day made me feel like I was reliving the incident again and again.
“I wake up sweating, reliving the incident every night. I hope to never have to come into contact with him again. Father’s Day will never be the same for our family again.”
Naylor was subsequently apprehended at his residence, where officers observed him to be “unsteady on his feet”. An initial breathalyser test revealed 84 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – more than double the legal limit of 35 micrograms. However, once in custody, he declined to provide a blood sample, “cited a needle phobia” as his reason. His criminal history reveals a single prior conviction – a community order handed down in 2015 for battery and criminal damage.
Callum Ross, defending, told the court: “In my submission, he is full of regret. He is a man who is lightly convicted. He has kept out of trouble for a decade.
“Clearly, that previous offence is at a much lower level than this offending when it comes to violence. It leads me to say, in my submission, that this offence is plainly out of character for him. The reference speaks for itself, described as hard working, well mannered, reliable, dependable.
“There is, perhaps, a very different side to him, which he is capable of showing in all other walks of life, other than in that minute-and-a-half of footage. Plainly, he was none of those things when he chose to drive that car. He knows he will pay the price for that today.
“He lives with his partner and their two children, aged two and seven. Clearly, if he were to go to prison, the family would lose the breadwinner. Your honour will have noted him working, albeit he has stopped since this offence, as a plumber for many years. He is keen to regain employment, but has been waiting for the outcome of this case.
“Your honour will note, in the interim, he and his family have been relying on benefits. The children would lose one of their two main caregivers. At such a young age, that would have a profoundly significant effect on them.”
View 4 ImagesThe incident unfolded outside the Queens Arms pub in Huyton, Merseyside(Image: Google)
Naylor admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm, dangerous driving, drink driving and failing to provide a specimen for analysis. Dressed in a grey jumper over a white shirt in the dock, he appeared tearful throughout the proceedings before being jailed for 35 months.
Passing sentence, Recorder Anna Pope KC stated: “It was Father’s Day that day, when you went to a pub in Huyton. There was a disagreement between you and others. Things seemed to settle.
“A short time later, people gathered around you while you were in your vehicle. You were arguing out of the window and shouting ‘who the f*** do you think you’re looking at?’. People tried open your car door. You reversed to get people off. You then ploughed your car forwards into a small crowd of people.
“While doing this, you had your head out of the window, shouting aggressively as you drove. You ran over the leg of Mr Amore. He had been trying to stop you from driving away, because he could see that you were unfit to do so.
“It is clear to me that what took place was in temper and anger. He had to have surgery lasting some nine hours. He was reliant on care from his family for some time. He spent five days in hospital. As a self employed worker, he was impacted financially. His mobility was severely limited. He says that your behaviour will stay with him forever.
“He could not work for nine months. He went into a downward spiral of anxiety and depression. He now avoids crowded places, because he fears this happening again. He continues to wake up sweating. He says that Father’s Day will never be the same again.
“In my view, you used your car as a weapon. During the course of an argument, you had the upper hand because you were in a car which you chose to use. This was a grave injury. You caused two fractures that required lengthy surgery.
“You regret very much what took place. I accept that your remorse is genuine. It is clear that there is another side to your character than was depicted on that footage on Father’s Day of last year. You are diagnosed with anxiety and depressive disorder.”
Ensure our latest stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
Referencing Naylor’s statement in a Probation Service report compiled ahead of the sentencing hearing, Recorder Pope continued: “You explained that you had been assaulted and, when you got in your car, your aim was to leave the scene. You said that you panicked and did not act in a rational manner.
“I am asked to bear in mind that you are lightly convicted. You have remained out of trouble for 10 years, and this is, for you, out of character. I am asked to bear in mind the impact on those close to you of an immediate custodial sentence.
“That day, I accept that what you did was, to a large extent, out of character. However, in drink and in your car, you made an extreme decision to drive in extremely dangerous circumstances before ploughing forward into a group of people at speed. That exposed a number of people to risk. You caused serious injury to your victim.”
Naylor received a total driving ban of 47 months and must complete an extended retest before getting back behind the wheel. Following the hearing, Merseyside Police’s Detective Inspector Steve Wilkinson commented: “This case highlights the dangers of drink driving and that this kind of reckless behaviour can put several lives at risk.
Article continues below
“After the incident, Naylor drove away from the pub, which is also illegal and incredibly irresponsible. In a personal statement read to the court the man who was injured explained how he can no longer celebrate Father’s Day, as this incident happened last year on that same day.
“He was also self-employed and could not work after the injury, which significantly affected his livelihood. I hope Naylor reflects on this incident and fully understands the impact his actions have had.”