A woman who has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of four paddleboarders who drowned in an 'avoidable tragedy' didn't make one key check before the fateful trip, it has emerged.
39-year-old Nerys Bethan Lloyd owned Salty Dog Co Ltd, a paddleboard tour company, and acted as the company's sole director.
Lloyd was co-instructor on 30 October, 2021, and made the decision to take a group of paddleboarders down the River Cleddau in Pembrokeshire, located in the south-west of Wales.
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However, this resulted in the deaths of Lloyd's co-instructor Paul O’Dwyer, 42, and participants Andrea Powell, 41, Nicola Wheatley, 40, and Morgan Rogers, 24.
Lloyd pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court today (5 March), where she was charged with four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and one offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Lloyd, from Aberavon, South Wales, has been released on unconditional bail until her sentencing on 15 April.
At the hearing, The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said there had been heavy flooding on the day, with weather warnings in place.
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Speaking at the hearing, specialist prosecutor with the CPS special crime division, Lisa Rose, revealed that there was a huge check that Lloyd forgot to carry out.
She explained: “This was an avoidable tragedy. Despite going to check the state of the river before departing on the tour, Nerys Lloyd failed to inspect the weir.
“The majority of participants had limited experience, and Lloyd was not qualified to take paddleboarders out in such hazardous conditions."
Rose added that there were no formal risk assessments or a safety briefing, with participants not told of methods to get out of the water if going through the weir went wrong.
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While O'Dwyer, Rogers and Wheatley died at the scene, Powell passed away in hospital on 5 November, 2021.
The deceased were trapped by 'hydraulic towback with no means of escape' on that horrific day, which happened almost four years ago.
Rose added: “Final decisions to continue with the event were Lloyd’s decision, and as a result she held complete and entire responsibility.
“I hope these convictions provide some sense of justice for those affected and our thoughts remain with the families and friends of the victims at this time.”
Lloyd was accused of not having the right qualifications to run the tour after the three participants were pulled over the top after approaching a weir, and while O'Dwyer exited safely, he re-entered the water to attempt to rescue the other three, which resulted in him being dragged over the weir.
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Four other people survived the event.
Joshua Nair