Nerys Lloyd: Former police officer who 'ignored all warnings' jailed over River Cleddau paddleboarding tragedy that killed four

Nerys Bethan Lloyd, 39, of Aberavon, south Wales, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and one offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

She organised the tour through her company, Salty Dog Co Ltd, on the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in October 2021, despite severe weather warnings and flood alerts issued by the Met Office and Natural Resources Wales.

Lloyd, a former trained firearms officer, failed to provide a safety briefing or inform participants about a dangerous weir on the route. As a result, Paul O’Dwyer, 42, Andrea Powell, 41, Morgan Rogers, 24, and Nicola Wheatley, 40, were swept over the weir and drowned.

“There was no safety briefing beforehand. None of the participants had the right type of leash for their board, and you didn’t have any next of kin details,” said Mrs Justice Dame Mary Stacey, who handed down the sentence.

“No consent forms were obtained. There had been no mention to the group of a weir on the river and how to deal with it and no discussion of the tidal river conditions whatsoever.”

The judge also revealed that Lloyd had ignored alternative safer routes suggested by Mr O’Dwyer, who assisted as an instructor. “It is clear to me that you intended for the group to go through the weir,” Justice Stacey said.

“Paul had researched alternative routes that would avoid crossing the weir, all of which were dismissed by you. He raised valid concerns that you ignored. Your interest appeared to be more of an exciting route rather than safety.”

The court heard that neither Lloyd nor Mr O’Dwyer was “remotely qualified” to lead the tour, despite the stretch of river having a “real potential for danger,” according to prosecutor Mark Watson KC.

In a statement read in court by defence counsel David Elias KC, Lloyd said: “I take full blame (for the incident) that meant four extremely special individuals are not here today. The pain for me has been unbearable but the pain for the families unmeasurable. There were nine people on the river that day and every one of them is a victim.”

The judge said the impact on the victims' families was profound. “We have heard such moving accounts from the family members of those who died,” Justice Stacey said. “Statements which I fear barely scratch the surface of their devastation at the loss of their loved ones, cut off in their prime, with so much to live for and look forward to.”

CCTV footage of the incident was reviewed by the court, though not played due to its distressing content. In audio captured on Lloyd’s phone hours after the tragedy, she told her wife, “It was 100% my fault and I probably should not have gone on the water.”

However, the judge noted that Lloyd later tried to shift the blame onto Mr O’Dwyer and described the group as being of “intermediate ability.”