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Paddleboard Deaths: Owner's Appeal Fails, Families Grieve
9 Jun
Summary
- Four died paddleboarding in hazardous conditions in October 2021.
- Owner Nerys Lloyd's gross negligence manslaughter sentence upheld.
- Families express pain at the owner's failed appeal attempt.
Four individuals lost their lives in October 2021 while paddleboarding on the Western Cleddau river in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. The victims were Paul O'Dwyer, Andrea Powell, Morgan Rogers, and Nicola Wheatley, who encountered extremely hazardous conditions. Nerys Bethan Lloyd, the 41-year-old owner of the paddleboard firm, pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter in March 2025 and was initially sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison.
Recently, Lloyd's bid to shorten her prison sentence was rejected by three judges at the Court of Appeal. This attempt was described by the victims' families as "brazen" and causing further pain. Darren Wheatley, husband of Nicola, expressed relief mixed with anxiety, while Teresa Hall, mother of Morgan, wished for peace for their families, stating they have "life sentences."
The incident, detailed in a December 2022 Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report, was deemed "tragic and avoidable." The report identified numerous errors on the day of the tragedy. Lloyd's approach to health and safety was criticized as "abysmal" by the sentencing judge. The paddleboarders encountered difficulties at a weir, leading to Andrea, Nicola, and Morgan being caught in a recirculating flow, with Paul O'Dwyer also tragically losing his life.
