Paddleboard tragedy leader was sacked from police for fraud
New details emerge after Cleddau manslaughter case concludes
NEW details have emerged about the disgraced paddleboarding instructor jailed over the deaths of four people on the River Cleddau — including the fact she was previously dismissed from South Wales Police for insurance fraud.
Nerys Lloyd, aged 39, was sentenced earlier this month to ten years and six months in prison after she admitted four counts of gross negligence manslaughter. The court heard she led a group of paddleboarders into dangerous conditions in Haverfordwest in October 2021, ignoring weather warnings and organising the trip despite flooded river levels.
Four people — Morgan Rogers, 24, Nicola Wheatley, 40, Andrea Powell, 41, and Paul O'Dwyer, 42 — died after being swept over a concrete weir.
Tragic: Morgan Rogers, 24, Nicola Wheatley, 40, Andrea Powell, 41, and Paul O'Dwyer, 42 died in the incident
The fish ramp near County Hall, Haverfordwest (Image: Herald)
Now it has emerged that Lloyd had previously worked as a firearms officer with South Wales Police — but was dismissed for dishonesty just weeks before the fatal outing.
An Accelerated Misconduct Hearing in January 2022 found Lloyd made a false insurance claim. She submitted a repair bill for £577.55 when the actual cost of repairs was less than £20. Lloyd admitted her actions and received a formal caution for fraud by false representation under the Fraud Act 2006.
South Wales Police confirmed that Lloyd had been sacked for breaching professional behaviour standards, and that the matter had only now been made public because criminal proceedings have concluded.
Just two weeks after receiving the police caution, Lloyd led the fatal paddleboarding trip on the swollen Cleddau River. Photographs taken after the tragedy showed raging white water at the foot of the weir, where all four victims were pulled under.
Sentencing her at Swansea Crown Court, Mrs Justice Dame Mary Stacey said: 'You were unqualified, you ignored warnings, and you showed a shocking lack of judgement.'
As we reported last week, Lloyd showed no emotion as she was jailed.
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