Unqualified ex-cop jailed over deaths of four people killed while paddleboarding in ‘extremely hazardous conditions’
A FORMER cop has been jailed after four people she led on a swollen river were killed in a paddleboarding tragedy.
Paul O’Dwyer, 42, Andrea Powell, 41, Morgan Rogers, 24, and Nicola Wheatley, 40, died after they got into difficulty on the River Cleddau, in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.
Nerys Lloyd, who owns Salty Dog – the company operating the tour – pleaded guilty to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter.
The 39-year-old has now been jailed for ten years and six months after also admitting a Health and Safety at Work Act offence.
The horror unfolded when the group of nine set out on the paddleboarding tour on October 30, 2021.
Lloyd, who now works as an operations manager for a charity, had let the tour go ahead despite “severe weather warnings”.
After the four paddleboarders were killed, she was heard saying: “I’, going to jail for this”.
Swansea Crown Court heard she was “not remotely qualified” to run the tour and that several of the group had very limited experience.
She advertised the trip on Facebook for £149 per person to include overnight accommodation and two “fully” qualified instructors.
But she had only gained a “basic entry-level qualification” after attending two courses over two days with fellow instructor and neighbour Paul O’Dwyer.
Prosecutor Mark Lloyd KC said there was an “obvious potential for real danger”.
There had been heavy rain and “the river was in flood conditions” with a “visibly strong current”.
Mr Watson KC said none of the victims was aware of the weir or how to navigate it.
Because of the heavy rain, around “two tonnes of water” were crossing a one-metre section of the weir every second.
The group got caught in heavy downpours just after 9am as emergency crews were raced to the scene.
The inexperienced paddleboarders were all “attached to their boards by way of a traditional ankle leash”.
Former soldier Paul was killed as he jumped into the water in a bid to save the women.
Mum Andrea, who worked as a dental therapist, was rushed to hospital with critical injuries but tragically couldn’t be saved.
Four other people on the paddleboarding trip survived the horror.
In a series of victim impact statements, grieving family members blasted Lloyd for her “lack of remorse” following the deaths.
Andrea’s husband Mark broke down as he told how she was “happy and content” on the day of the trip.
He next saw the mum when she was in hospital in a coma with cuts and bruising to her face and body.
Mark also told how Andrea had the “most amazing bond” with their son Finn, who was seven at the time of the tragedy.
He said the sound his son made when he discovered his mum had died will haunt him forever.
The dad told how his son later said: “I want to die so I can be with my mummy.”
Mark added: “The failings of Nerys Lloyd are on a monumental scale. How can a serving police officer allow this to happen?”
Morgan’s mum Theresa Hall told the court her daughter’s loss follows her like a shadow and slammed Lloyd for “guiding [her] to her death”.
Addressing the ex-cop, she added: “You in your arrogance have stopped me being able to fully grieve for my daughter.
“Every day of my life is absolutely horrendous” knowing she died a “horrific death”.
Nicola’s husband Darren Wheatley branded Lloyd “a disgraced business owner” and “vile person”.
He added: “You have hidden behind your carefully orchestrated smoke screen.
“I hugged and kissed Nicola goodbye, she was so trusting.
“The next time I would see her would be to identify her body in the mortuary.
“I couldn’t imagine what she had gone through.
“This was not the Nicola that left our house less than 24 hours earlier but it is the face I see every day when I open my eyes.”
Kerry O’Dwyer, wife of Paul O’Dwyer, was saved during the paddleboard tour when she was pushed to safety by Andrea.
She said her husband made a “devastating mistake” that day but he “died trying to save others” when he dived back in to the water.
Kerry added: “Grief is in our household every single day. You carried on as if nothing ever happened.
“Nerys, I do not believe you will ever learn from this, you’ve had three years to show remorse and yet you have continued like this is an inconvenience to your life.”