An individual who ran a paddleboard tour company has pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter following the tragic deaths of four individuals. Paul O’Dwyer, Andrea Powell, Morgan Rogers, and Nicola Wheatley lost their lives while paddleboarding on the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, last October. Nerys Bethan Lloyd, a 39-year-old former police officer from Port Talbot, was the owner of Salty Dog, the tour company responsible for the ill-fated excursion that claimed the lives of the four victims and endangered the lives of four others who survived. The company in question has since been dissolved.
The court proceedings in Swansea revealed that Lloyd also admitted to a breach under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The tragic incident occurred despite severe weather warnings and dangerous flooding along the river. As a result, three of the participants found themselves trapped after being dragged over the Haverfordwest Town Weir. Despite efforts by Mr. O’Dwyer to rescue them, the victims tragically succumbed to drowning. The investigation conducted by Dyfed-Powys Police and the Health and Safety Executive confirmed that Lloyd lacked the necessary qualifications and failed to provide adequate planning and supervision for the paddleboarding tour.
Following the plea hearing, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) expressed that the incident was entirely preventable and highlighted the negligence on Lloyd’s part. The absence of proper safety measures, qualifications, and risk assessments ultimately led to the devastating loss of life. The CPS noted that despite being aware of the hazardous conditions, Lloyd failed to take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the participants. As the individual in charge, Lloyd bore full responsibility for the tragic outcome. The CPS hopes that the convictions bring some form of justice for the affected families and friends of the victims during this difficult time. Lloyd is currently on bail and will face sentencing in April
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