A former police officer has been jailed for 10 years and six months after leading a paddleboarding expedition on a rain-swollen river in Wales that resulted in four deaths. Nerys Lloyd, 39, pleaded guilty to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work offence over the incident on the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in October 2021.
The victims were Morgan Rogers, 24; Nicola Wheatley, 40; Andrea Powell, 41; and Lloyd's co-instructor Paul O'Dwyer, 42, a former soldier. Sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, Mrs Justice Stacey said Lloyd had failed to check the state of a weir, describing the resulting hydraulic spin as like a washing machine. She noted that none of the participants had the correct paddleboard leashes for the conditions, and that Lloyd, as a firearms officer and RNLI volunteer, should have been well versed in health and safety.
Lloyd had advertised the River Cleddau trip on Facebook for £149 per person, promising overnight accommodation and supervision by two qualified instructors. However, the court heard she did not carry out risk assessments or obtain next-of-kin details, delaying contact with some families. The judge said Lloyd had painted a false narrative and tried to disproportionately blame O'Dwyer, who lost his life trying to save others.
Darren Wheatley, Nicola's husband, said: 'Losing Nicola has devastated our family and two young children lost their mammy. Decisions made by Nerys Lloyd, and only Nerys Lloyd, led to the four lives lost.' Survivor Melody Johns called for tighter regulations, saying paddleboarding is largely unregulated and many boards are sold without quick-release leashes.
