Haunting snap displays killer teacher paddleboarding safely down fish cross in swollen river simply seconds ahead of she led 4 daytrippers to their deaths

A chilling photograph snapped the instant an teacher is observed safely paddleboarding down a fish cross simply seconds ahead of she led 4 daytrippers to their deaths in a swollen river.  

Former policewoman Nerys Lloyd, 39, organised the weekend paddleboard day out at the Cleddau River in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, which led to tragedy.

Paddleboarders Morgan Rogers, 24, Nicola Wheatley, 40, Andrea Powell, 41, and co-instructor Paul O’Dwyer, 42, all died once they had been dragged over the raging water at the weir in October 2021 in what the prosecution described as a ‘chaotic episode of a few 20 seconds’.

Lloyd had no longer warned the members in regards to the weir regardless of climate warnings and a flood alert being in position – nor had she given them a security briefing, a courtroom heard.

After she used to be jailed for 10years and 6 months for gross negligence manslaughter the day before today, a photograph of Lloyd used to be launched appearing her taking place the fish cross simply moments ahead of the crisis. 

Bodycam video additionally confirmed Lloyd speaking to a police officer about what had came about – telling her that the crowd ‘fell in’.

Separate body-worn video additionally confirmed emergency products and services arriving on the weir, appearing the paddleboards underneath it and the water prerequisites at the river.

A clip of Lloyd chatting with police used to be captured close to the positioning referred to as Fortune’s Frolic, at the east financial institution of the river, a number of hundred yards downstream from the weir.

Lloyd used to be heard announcing: ‘Channel them all the way down to the centre level, it is a workforce paddle and so they simply did not cross down the center, so that they went over the falls and so they fell in.

‘Some of them went off their forums. I needed to get again up, however as a result of I used to be the primary one down, I flew downstream and I used to be seeking to get again to them, however I could not.’

At the time the video used to be filmed, Lloyd used to be unaware that 4 folks had died – and later tried responsible her co-instructor Mr O’Dwyer, who used to be one of the crucial sufferers.

Horrifyingly, the birthday party had been dragged over the 4ft weir and sucked into the churning torrent – trapped by way of the an identical of just about two tonnes of water crossing a one-metre-wide segment each 2nd. 

Any likelihood of break out from the serious power – which created a recirculating glide very similar to a washer – used to be made even tougher by way of the ‘incorrect’ leashes attaching them to the forums, a pass judgement on mentioned.

Lloyd, a suspended firearms officer, used to be the landlord and director of Salty Dog Co Ltd when she led the Stand Up Paddle excursion at the fast-flowing river.

She mentioned ‘I’m going to prison for this’ simply moments after learning her co-instructor Mr O’Dwyer had died – or even tried to put blame on him, Swansea Crown Court heard.

Photographs from the scene confirmed the massive weir with a fish ramp within the heart ‘most effective somewhat wider than the width of a paddleboard’ and a concrete touchdown platform to the aspect.

Images taken an afternoon after the tragedy display the foaming, swollen water on the backside of the weir – in stark distinction to the calm situation of the river when Lloyd performed a reconnaissance seek advice from weeks previous. 

Lloyd used to be in a position to navigate herself down the fish ramp on her board ahead of ‘one after the other’ each and every of the seven others had been swept over the face of the weir and fell off their paddleboards, the courtroom heard.

In emotional sufferer have an effect on statements dropped at the courtroom the day before today, the bereaved households criticised ‘smug’ and ‘cowardly’ Lloyd for her loss of regret.

Lloyd, a former firearms officer for South Wales Police, gave the impression within the dock dressed in a white blouse and darkish trousers.

She stared instantly forward on the pass judgement on as her sentence used to be learn out, most effective nodding her head and mouthing ‘thanks’.

Jailing her for 10 years and 6 months, Mrs Justice Stacey mentioned the quartet who died had been ‘bring to a halt of their top’.

She mentioned ‘shifting’ statements from their grieving households ‘I worry slightly scratch the skin in their devastation on the lack of their family members’.

The pass judgement on mentioned there have been Met Office climate warnings at the moment, in addition to a flood alert in position via Natural Resources Wales. 

She highlighted how hours after the tragedy – in a dialog inadvertently recorded on her telephone – Lloyd advised her spouse that it were her personal fault and she or he used to be ‘completed’. 

Earlier David Elias KC, protecting, mentioned Lloyd deliberate to take the crowd to the touchdown platform on the aspect to ‘get out and stroll round’ the weir however the water had lined the world. 

‘Nerys Lloyd went down the fish ramp as a final lodge as soon as she realised she had no time to do the rest,’ he mentioned.

But Mrs Justice Stacey rejected the rationale, announcing it used to be ‘transparent’ she had meant the crowd to head ‘in the course of the weir’.

She mentioned co-instructor Mr O’Dwyer had raised ‘legitimate issues’ in regards to the plan however that Lloyd ‘left out’ him. 

‘Your hobby gave the look to be extra of a thrilling path relatively than protection,’ she added.

The courtroom heard she led the paid excursion as an teacher with a ‘fundamental entry-level qualification’ after promoting the commute for £149 an individual on Faceook with in a single day lodging and two ‘totally’ certified instructors.

Lloyd, of Aberavon, South Wales, used to be suspended from her firearms tasks at South Wales police on the time of the tragedy after accepting a warning for a fraudulent insurance coverage declare involving a car.

She pleaded responsible to 4 counts of gross negligence manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence.

Prosecutor Mark Watson KC mentioned Lloyd made the verdict to ‘keep on with the unique’ path after she ‘rebuffed’ messages from neighbour Mr O’Dwyer about discovering a distinct location.

The courtroom heard the crowd had been provided with a paddleboard, a paddle and had been hooked up to their forums with a standard ankle leash.

Mr Watson mentioned the crowd had been ‘utterly taken by way of marvel by way of the presence of the weir’ which dropped sharply down 1.3m to the river underneath within the churning white water.

He mentioned the ‘depth of the water flowing over the weir’ used to be an identical to just about two tonnes of water crossing a one-metre-wide segment each 2nd.

Mr Watson mentioned: ‘In a chaotic episode of a few 20 seconds, they had been all carried over the weir crest by way of the sturdy present; 5 of them to the suitable of the fish cross and two to the left; and so they all fell off in their forums into the robust hydraulic underneath the weir.’

The courtroom heard the crowd won no well being and protection steerage ahead of heading out on their paddleboards whilst no subsequent of family members main points had been taken from them which ended in a lengthen in contacting households.

Lloyd later advised police she believed Mr O’Dwyer had given a well being and protection briefing whilst she used to be the use of the bathrooms at Morrisons ahead of going out at the water.

Mr Watson mentioned: ‘However, the entire surviving members are transparent of their proof that no well being and protection briefing by any means happened ahead of they entered the water, and there used to be no point out by way of somebody of a weir, or a fish cross, or of any want to go out the water to head round any weir.’

The courtroom heard Mr O’Dwyer’s spouse Ceri survived the paddleboard day out when she used to be kicked to protection by way of Andrea Powell, who then died.

Mr Watson mentioned she used to be receiving remedy at the back of an ambulance at 11am when police arrived to inform her that her husband had died.

Emergency employee Jenny Heavens mentioned she noticed Lloyd arrive to console Mrs O’Dwyer ahead of she put her head in her arms and mentioned: ‘I’m going to prison for this.’

The courtroom heard in a pre-sentence document Lloyd ‘did seem to characteristic slightly a variety of the deficient, reckless selections and lapses in organisation’ to Mr O’Dwyer.

In a non-public remark to courtroom, Lloyd mentioned: ‘I take complete blame for the errors that supposed 4 particular folks aren’t right here nowadays. Two of which have been my shut pals.

‘I additionally wish to recognize there have been 9 folks at the river that day and each one in all them is a sufferer.’

Mr Elias added Lloyd’s social media task after the tragedy used to be her method of ‘placing on a courageous face’ nevertheless it used to be ‘some distance from the reality.’

He mentioned: ‘She used to be placing on a courageous face.  Putting on a grin. In doing that as some way of coping that has made the struggling of those that had been struggling extra intense.’

Mrs Justice Stacey advised Lloyd: ‘Let me shed light on and I rigidity, you and Paul didn’t intend any hurt to any of the members who had been your mates and also you had been horrified at what came about that day. There is admittedly no query of intent for your behalf and your illegal activity does no longer fit the enormity of the tragedy.

‘But you selected to guide the crowd over a weir in prerequisites that would no longer had been extra treacherous hanging they all in excessive threat.

‘You didn’t inform them that there could be a weir and also you gave them no selection however to head over it, which inevitably brought about this avoidable tragedy and lack of existence.

‘Neither you nor Paul had been certified to guide the sort of excursion and all your method to fundamental well being and protection used to be abysmal whilst you knew higher and were skilled each within the police pressure and as a volunteer with the RNLI to grasp higher.’

The pass judgement on paid tribute to the households of those that died for his or her ‘dignity and braveness in the course of overwhelming grief’.

Darren Wheatley, husband of Nicola Wheatley, who died at the paddleboarding commute, mentioned the lack of his spouse has ‘devastated’ the circle of relatives.

In a remark learn out of doors courtroom, Mr Wheatley mentioned: ‘Losing Nicola has devastated our circle of relatives and two small children misplaced their mammy.

‘Nicola died in instances that had been utterly avoidable and must no longer have came about. Decisions made by way of Nerys Lloyd, and most effective Nerys Lloyd, ended in the 4 lives misplaced.

‘Any sentence served by way of Nerys in jail won’t ever ease the ache of dropping Nicola, and our lives won’t ever be the similar once more.’

He added: ‘I am hoping Nerys takes the time while locked as much as mirror and in the end recognize the devastating have an effect on of her selections that day.

‘I’m thankful for the pass judgement on’s working out of the gravity of what came about and what we’ve got long past via as households.’

Theresa Hall, mom of Morgan Rogers, mentioned she misplaced her ‘absolute best pal’ when her daughter died at the commute.

Speaking out of doors Swansea Crown Court, Ms Hall mentioned: ‘It’s been 3 lengthy years and 7 months since I misplaced my most effective daughter, Morgan, my absolute best pal. Over 3 years since I laid eyes on her, over 3 years since I heard her infectious chortle.

‘I want you could all have met her, my gorgeous daughter, she used to be at all times smiling, at all times satisfied, at all times content material in her existence.

‘She did not wish to rock the sector, she sought after to reside a deferential existence, she would by no means harm somebody, she used to be a gradual soul, at all times searching for the great in folks.

‘Anyone that has misplaced a kid by way of any person else’s doing will know that there’s no ache love it. That day I misplaced a work of myself, I can by no means be the similar particular person with out my Morgan.

‘I will be able to by no means forgive Nerys Lloyd for what she has taken from me.’

Ms Hall mentioned that on account of Lloyd’s failure to get subsequent of family members main points, it used to be over 12 hours ahead of she used to be knowledgeable of her daughter’s demise.

‘Even then, it used to be every other 12 hours ahead of I officially recognized her myself,’ she mentioned.

‘My treasured girl used to be no longer necessary to Nerys Lloyd. She could not give police Morgan’s main points, as she hadn’t even troubled to get Morgan’s emergency touch main points in case of an coincidence. That used to be despicable.

‘Nerys Lloyd’s vanity spoke volumes for the individual she is and the angle that she confirmed against the folk she had in her care that day, the loss of fear is surprising.’

Detective Superintendent Cameron Ritchie, of Dyfed-Powys Police, described the paddleboarding tragedy as ‘utterly avoidable’ following the sentencing of Lloyd.

‘The incident that happened in Haverfordwest on October 30, 2021, used to be a particularly tragic case ensuing within the utterly avoidable deaths of 4 folks,’ he mentioned.

‘We heard in courtroom how this incident devastated 4 households, and we are hoping that classes shall be realized that save you this from ever taking place once more.’

Lisa Rose, specialist prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service particular crime department, mentioned: ‘Nerys Lloyd must no longer have taken members at the water that day; the heavy flooding had left the river operating very rapid and it used to be past the remit of a amateur’s excursion.

‘The weir itself used to be in a particularly hazardous situation, with a top doable for lack of existence, and the entire conceivable go out issues within reach were flooded out.

‘Lloyd used to be no longer certified to take green paddleboarders out in such prerequisites, and her movements fell very some distance underneath the usual anticipated of a paddleboard teacher and task planner.

‘The excursion will have began at a distinct level, to steer clear of the weir, or been cancelled altogether however Lloyd made the general resolution to head forward with the development.

‘There aren’t any phrases that may articulate the devastation this tragedy has brought about, and I will be able to most effective hope that this sentence supplies a way of justice for the ones affected.’

And Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Helen Turner mentioned: ‘The sufferers positioned their accept as true with in Lloyd to ship a secure and stress-free paddle, however via her incompetence, carelessness and complacency she failed to plot or assess the most obvious possibility on the weir or to take even fundamental protection measures.

‘By no longer discussing the dangers at the path Lloyd robbed the members of the chance to make a reasoned resolution on their very own participation at the day.’