Families of paddleboarders who died in Pembrokeshire speak at hearing

Tindle News

The sentencing hearing continues this week into the death of four paddleboarders in Pembrokeshire, who died during an organised tour in 2021. Thirty-nine-year-old former police officer Nerys Lloyd, who was the owner and sole director of Salty Dog Co Ltd, pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court at a hearing on March 5 to the gross negligence manslaughter of Paul O’Dwyer, 42, Andrea Powell, 41, Morgan Rogers, 24, and Nicola Wheatley, 40, following their deaths in Haverfordwest Town Weir on October 30, 2021. Lloyd of Aberavon, Port Talbot, also pleaded guilty to a Health and Safety at Work Act offence at Swansea Crown Court. The tragic incident occurred on the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest.

Transcript

00:00Today, one by one, mothers, fathers, brothers, sons, all stood up in court to share the impact of their loss.

00:10Nicola Wheatley, Morgan Rogers, Paul O'Dwyer and Andrea Powell all killed on the 30th of October in 2021

00:17while taking part in what was meant to be a fun and relaxing paddleboarding trip.

00:23Nerysbeth and Lloyd, owner of Salty Dog Company, led the group down the River Clever just before 9am,

00:28but the court heard it was extremely hazardous.

00:31The river was in flood conditions with a visibly strong current,

00:35meaning the difference between water levels above and below the weir on that day would have been a drop of 1.3 metres.

00:42Ultimately, the group all fell as they crossed the weir at Haverford West.

00:46Nicola Wheatley, Morgan Rogers drowning at the scene.

00:50Paul O'Dwyer, a co-instructor who jumped back into the water to try and help, also ended up drowning.

00:55And Andrea Powell, who was resuscitated, died a week later in hospital.

01:01In total, 13 impact statements were read out in court, many becoming emotional.

01:06The anger at what had happened that day, very clear.

01:10Mark Powell, the husband of Andrea Powell, said that the noise that his son made

01:14when he told him that his mother had died will live with him forever,

01:18saying Nerysbeth and Lloyd was deceitful and incompetent.

01:22Teresa Hall, the mother of Morgan Rogers, who also died, said that her daughter had died for profit.

01:29And we also heard from some of the survivors.

01:32Kerry O'Dwyer, the wife of Paul O'Dwyer, a co-instructor who died trying to save others,

01:38who was also on the trip herself, said that what happened that day will live with her every day of her life.

01:44The court also heard more details of what happened that day, the risks and the lack of safety checks carried out.

01:51Experts saying the dangers should have been obvious.

01:54Several members of the group had very limited experience, which they had made clear in text messages beforehand.

02:01And neither Nerysbeth and Lloyd or her business partner, Paul O'Dwyer, were remotely qualified,

02:06as they only had a basic entry-level qualification.

02:10But the court also heard of the heroic actions by bystanders who witnessed what happened

02:15and tried to throw lifelines to those in the water.

02:19Ultimately, too late to help.

02:21At the end of today's evidence, the judge turned to thank those who gave victim impact statements.

02:27The sentencing expected tomorrow.

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