'Arrogant' unqualified instructor who was jailed for leading four paddleboarders to their deaths was sacked from police for insurance fraud
A paddleboard instructor who led four people to their deaths in a swollen river was previously sacked as a policewoman after committing insurance fraud.
Nerys Lloyd was jailed for 10 years and six months after four people died on the Cleddau River in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in October 2021.
The 39-year-old had organised a stand-up paddleboarding tour on the river despite 'extremely hazardous conditions' and weather warnings in place.
The weekend outing ended in tragedy when paddleboarders Morgan Rogers, 24, Nicola Wheatley, 40, Andrea Powell, 41, and co-instructor Paul O'Dwyer, 42, all died after they were dragged over the raging water on the weir.
Following her sentencing earlier this month, it has emerged that Ms Lloyd was previously sacked from her role as a firearms officer at South Wales Police for a fraudulent insurance claim.
In January 2022, at an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing, Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan found that Lloyd had breached professional behaviour standards and should be dismissed.
Lloyd had made a fraudulent claim against the police insurance scheme in relation to the cost of repair to her own vehicle.
While the repairs to her car cost in the region of £16 to £20 the subsequent insurance claim made by PC Lloyd was for £577.55, the hearing conclusion document said.
Health worker Nicola Wheatley (left) and her co-instructor Paul O'Dwyer (right) died in the tragedy
South Wales Police released the previously unpublished details of the misconduct investigation and insurance fraud now that the criminal case against Lloyd, from Aberavon, has concluded.
Lloyd was said to have 'admitted her wrongdoing and immediately apologised for her behaviour, stating it was an error of judgement.'
The matter was reported to South Wales Police and Lloyd was then subject of a formal caution for the criminal offence of fraud by false representation contrary to sections 1 and 2 of the Fraud Act 2006, in October 2021. Lloyd repaid the money.
This was just two weeks before the tragedy on the River Cleddau which saw Nicola Wheatley, Morgan Rogers, Paul O'Dwyer and Andrea Powell lose their lives.
Horrifyingly the party were dragged over the 4ft weir and sucked into the churning torrent - trapped by the equivalent of nearly two tonnes of water crossing a one-metre-wide section every second.
Photographs from the scene showed the large weir with a fish ramp in the middle 'only slightly wider than the width of a paddleboard' and a concrete landing platform to the side.
Images taken a day after the tragedy show the foaming, swollen water at the bottom of the weir - in stark contrast to the calm condition of the river when Lloyd carried out a reconnaissance visit weeks earlier.
Lloyd was able to navigate herself down the fish ramp on her board before 'one by one' each of the seven others were swept over the face of the weir and fell off their paddleboards, the court heard.
Earlier this month Lloyd pleaded guilty to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and one offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act in March, and was sentenced by Mrs Justice Dame Mary Stacey at Swansea Crown Court.
Handing Lloyd a 10-year and six-month sentence, the judge told Lloyd: 'I accept you are desperately sorry for what happened that day.
'Your life has also been massively impacted. But being sorry for what happened is different from remorse.'
Lloyd showed no emotion as her sentence was read out, only nodding at the judge and mouthing 'thank you'.
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