Unqualified ex-cop jailed over deaths of four people killed while paddleboarding in ‘extremely hazardous conditions'
Group sent on swollen river despite severe weather warnings
RIVER TRAGEDY Unqualified ex-cop jailed over deaths of four people killed while paddleboarding in 'extremely hazardous conditions'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
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.
6
Nerys Lloyd admitted manslaughter after four people died while paddleboarding
Credit: WNS
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".
6
Lloyd was "not remotely qualified" to lead the tour
Credit: WNS
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."
6
Nicola Wheatley was killed in the tragedy
Credit: WNS
6
Morgan Rogers was among the victims
Credit: WNS
6
Andrea Powell died when the group got into difficulty
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
9 hours ago
- Wales Online
He forced his way through traffic and nearly knocked people over but laughed when shown CCTV
He forced his way through traffic and nearly knocked people over but laughed when shown CCTV James Osmond drove dangerously in three separate police pursuits in just two weeks but found video of his offending shown to him by police funny James Osmond (Image: South Wales Police ) A driver led police on three separate dangerous pursuits in the space of just two weeks, a court has heard. During the spree of offending James Osmond hit multiple cars, "forced" his way through traffic, raced through red lights, and narrowly avoided knocking down pedestrians. When shown CCTV footage of his driving following his arrest he laughed at the clips. At the time of the offending, Osmond was out of prison on licence following his involvement in a gang attack which saw two men stabbed and cars smashed with baseball bats. Swansea Crown Court heard the defendant had previous convictions for aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, affray, and conspiracy to supply drugs but the 25-year-old's barrister told the court he had now disassociated himself from his previous peer group and negative influences and "simply wants to get back to being a dad and a provider". Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told the court that at 4.30pm on January 13 this year plain-clothes police officers in an unmarked vehicle were keeping watch on the activities of known drug-users around Swansea's Dyfatty flats as part of the on-going Operation Sceptre initiative. He said the officers became suspicious of the movements of a Nissan Navara pickup and followed it as it drove into the city centre. The court heard the pickup stopped outside the Eli Jenkins pub in Oxford Street and a woman got out. At that point the officers alighted their vehicle and approached the Nissan - Osmond responded by speeding off and going through a red traffic light at the junction with Dillwyn Street, narrowly avoiding pedestrians who were crossing the road. Article continues below The officers followed the Nissan as it sped along The Kingsway and onto Christina Street and then Walter Road at which point they lost sight of it. The details of the pickup were circulated to fellow officers. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter The court heard the Navara was then spotted by firearms officers the following day parked outside a shop in Morriston. Osmond was seen to get into the vehicle and a pursuit ensued with officers following him along Neath Road, but the court heard that, due to the dangerous nature of the defendant's driving, the pursuing officers were stood down. The prosecutor said Osmond headed for Landore and was seen to drive at speed through the area's narrow residential streets with members of the public reporting the pickup "swerving from side to side" and colliding with cars. One of the cars Osmond hit was being driven by a mum who had her young child in the back. The Navara was subsequently found abandoned in Cwmbwrla. The court heard Osmond came to the attention of police again on January 30 when officers in Penlan signalled for a Peugeot van containing three men to pull over. The van sped away but not before officers had recognised the driver. With Osmond at the wheel the van carried out a series of dangerous overtaking manoeuvres, went the wrong way round roundabouts, and "forced" its way through busy traffic, hitting a number of vehicles as it did so, including an unmarked police car being driven by an officer who was in the area on an unrelated job. The court heard the defendant was finally arrested on April 20 after he was located in the Cwmdu area. Osmond answered "no comment" to all questions asked in interview but was noted to laugh when shown CCTV clips of his driving around Swansea. James Michael Osmond, formerly of Middle Road, Gendros, Swansea, but now of Vicarage Road, Cwmdu, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of dangerous driving and driving without insurance in relation to the Peugeot van when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He had also previously pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited item - namely a mobile phone - in prison. This offence took place in May, 2023, when Osmond was being held on remand at HMP Cardiff. The court heard the L8Star "mini mobile" was found hidden in Osmond's bed in his cell after a prison scanner had picked up phone use on the wing. Osmond initially denied any knowledge of the phone but a download of its SIM card showed it had been used to call the same numbers the defendant had stored in his authorised prison phone contacts known as the "PIN list". The court heard Osmond had convictions for eight previous offences on his record including aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, violent disorder, and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, In June, 2023, the defendant was sentenced to 30 months in prison for affray and possession of an offensive weapon for his part in a gang attack on people in cars at the Sketty Cross junction in Swansea. That offence saw Osmond and others in a convoy of cars attack their targets with weapons including baseball bats before "parading around" in front of frightened members of the public. Two men later went to hospital with stab wounds but refused to co-operate with police. The court head that the day before the Sketty Cross disorder a petrol bomb had been thrown through the window of the defendant's mother's house. He was out of prison on licence for the affray matter when he committed the three counts of dangerous driving before the court. In January, 2021, Osmond was jailed for aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving after driving a friend's car "erratically" through Gendros - including at one stage swerving back and forth across the road "like a racing car driver trying to warm up his tyres" - before speeding off from police, mounting the pavement and crashing into a parked car. The Gendros offending happened just a few weeks after the defedant had been let out of a young offenders institution after serving less than a third of a sentence for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine. The drug trafficking conviction followed police stopping a car containing three males in Brynmelyn in Swansea - the teenage Osmond was found with a Kinder Egg capsule containing wraps of heroin hidden "in his genital area" while a search of the car revealed a pickaxe, an air pistol, cash, and a mobile phone containing messages relating to dealing. Hywel Davies, for Osmond, said at the time of the offending the defendant's mental health had deteriorated significantly following medical issues with his partner. He said his client was "bitterly missing" his young daughter while being in custody and had removed himself from his previous negative peers and lifestyle and "simply wants to get back to being a dad and a provider". Judge Geraint Walters said that in all his time at the Bar he could not recall a defendant committing three separate pieces of dangerous driving in the space of a fortnight. With discounts for his guilty pleas the defendant was sentenced to a total of three years in prison. He will serve no more than half that sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. Osmond was disqualified from driving for a period of four-and-a-half years and must pass an extended test before he can get a new licence. Article continues below The judge made a depravation order for the Nissan Navara.
Wales Online
13 hours ago
- Wales Online
Couple claimed Universal Credit despite owning second home worth £170,000
Couple claimed Universal Credit despite owning second home worth £170,000 A judge told the couple that 'stealing from the state is not an insignificant matter' Vivian Park Drive, Pot Talbot (Image: Google ) A couple applying for benefits did not disclose that they owned a second property which they were renting out, a court has heard. As a result of the fraud the couple pocketed £48,500 in universal credit over a four-year period Swansea Crown Court heard the application for benefit payments by Brian and Frances Rowe was "fraudulent from the outset". A judge told the pair that "stealing from the state is not an insignificant matter" and their offending crossed the threshold for a custodial sentence. Ryan Bowen, prosecuting, told the court that in February, 2019, the Rowes made a claim for the universal credit benefit declaring they had savings, investments of capital of less than £6,000. The claim was approved, and the first payment was made the following month. The court heard the couple had not declared that Brian Rowe owned a second property on the street where they lived, and had done for some 20 years. When the couple made the application for benefit the second house was worth around £170,000 which would have made them ineligible for universal credit. Article continues below The prosecutor said that in December, 2013, a claim for housing benefit had been made in respect of the second property with Mrs Rowe being named as the landlord, and he said the rent on that property had been £500 per month. The court heard that as a result of the false declaration made by the defendants, between February, 2019, and August, 2023, the couple received £48,517 in overpayments they were not entitled to. The prosecutor said it was the crown's case that the claim for universal credit had been "fraudulent from the outset". For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter Brian Rowe, aged 63, and Frances Rowe, aged 58, both of Vivian Park Drive, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances when they appeared in the dock. Brian Rowe has one previous conviction for one offence of criminal damage; Frances Rowe has no previous convictions. Huw Davies, representing both defendants, said the couple had re-mortgaged their home to raise money and had already started paying back what they owed. Judge Geraint Walters said it was clear from what he had read that the motivation for the offending had been financial, with Brian Rowe being unable to work at the time of the application due to ill-health leaving the couple with just Frances Rowe's income. The judge said "stealing from the state is not an insignificant matter" and the offending crossed the custody threshold but he said on a proper application of the sentencing guidelines he could not justify a sentence of immediate custody even if he wanted to impose it. With one-third discounts for their guilty pleas the defendants were each sentenced to six months in prison suspended for two years. Article continues below A hearing will be held on June 24 to set a proceeds of crime timetable or to deal with the issue of confiscation and repayments.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Brit dad, 32, found dead hours after being escorted off flight & separated from family on Turkey hols
He was discovered lying on rocky ground at the bottom of a tall building HOLS HELL Brit dad, 32, found dead hours after being escorted off flight & separated from family on Turkey hols A BRIT dad was found dead from a fall in Turkey just hours after being escorted off a plane for being drunk. Builder Ben Crook from Caerphilly, South Wales had been in Antalya with his partner and two kids to celebrate his 32nd birthday. Advertisement 4 Ben Crook, 32, arrived in Antalya on 24 September to celebrate his birthday Credit: WNS 4 Antalya Training and Research Hospital building, where Ben died Credit: Alamy 4 A view of the Ancient City of Antalya, Turkey (stock) Credit: Getty Crook, who was a nervous flyer, had been drinking on the way to Bristol Airport and had taken cocaine. When their flight was delayed, he drank even more alcohol at the airport. But once they were on the plane, Crook began behaving erratically, an inquest heard. He shouted at an air steward who refused to serve him more alcohol and had a row with his partner in which he smashed both their phones. Advertisement Crook was escorted off the flight and separated from his family upon landing in Turkey. His partner Jess Jenkins was advised to take their kids to the hotel and wait for his arrival. But Ben never made it to the hotel, the inquest at Gwent Coroner's Court heard. He was last seen in Kaleiçi, Antalya's old town district, and was found the next day in the Selçuk area. Advertisement After she raised the alarm over Ben's disappearance, Jess received a message from a woman who had spotted him. It read: "He said he smashed up his phone and had brought a new one but it was not ringing for some reason. Huge earthquake strikes Greece & Turkey killing girl, 14, and injuring dozens "He used my phone to send a message to his friend and we gave him our number if he needed more help. "He looked shaken and hungover. Advertisement "After the Facebook message and ringing his friend, he crossed the harbour and walked, we presumed, to the police station for help." Ben was discovered lying on rocky ground at the bottom of a tall building. He died at Antalya Training and Research Hospital at 2.15am on September 25. Ben's dad flew out to Turkey upon hearing his son was missing, but found out the tragic news upon his arrival. Advertisement He had been messaged by Ben to ask for the name of the hotel they were staying at on Facebook Messenger, but it had ended up in the spam folder. A post mortem examination conducted in Turkey found that Ben died with injuries in keeping with a fall. A further examination in the UK determined his cause of head was a fractured skull and pelvis caused by blunt trauma from the fall. The court heard that he may have fallen while he was smoking. Advertisement Gwent coroner Caroline Saunders said that drugs and alcohol "may have caused disorientation and poor judgement". But she added "this is insufficient to determine he fell as a result of the drugs he had taken." She said: "I find the fall was an accident, the exact details of which are unknown. "On September 24, 2024, Ben Crook fell from height whilst on holiday in Turkey and sustained severe head and pelvic injuries and died on September 25, 2024. Advertisement "The conclusion I reach is that of an accident."
