A former police officer who ran a paddleboarding company has been jailed for 10 years and six months after four people drowned during an excursion on a river.
Nerys Bethan Lloyd, 39, from Aberavon, organised a stand-up paddleboarding tour on the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in October 2021.
She pleaded guilty to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and one offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Lloyd was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday by Mrs Justice Dame Mary Stacey.
Nerys Bethan Lloyd has been jailed over the deaths of Paul O'Dwyer, Andrea Powell, Morgan Rogers and Nicola Wheatley
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The downstream elevation of Haverfordwest Weir
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Paul O'Dwyer, 42, Andrea Powell, 41, Morgan Rogers, 24, and Nicola Wheatley, 40, all died during the excursion.
The former firearms officer for South Wales Police showed no emotion as her sentence was read out, only nodding at the judge and mouthing "thank you".
Lloyd organised the tour despite "extremely hazardous conditions" and weather warnings in place from the Met Office, as well as a flood alert from Natural Resources Wales.
She failed to warn the group about a weir on the route or how to navigate it, leading to participants being swept over with some becoming trapped under fast-moving water.
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Kayaks in the water at the site of the weir in Haverfordwest following the accident
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The court heard there was "no safety briefing beforehand" and none of the participants had the right type of leash for their board. Lloyd also failed to obtain next of kin details or consent forms from participants.
Mrs Justice Stacey told the court: "It is clear to me that you intended for the group to go through the weir."
The judge added that Paul O'Dwyer had researched alternative routes to avoid the weir, but these were dismissed by Lloyd.
"Your interest appeared to be more of an exciting route rather than safety," the judge told Lloyd.
An image taken post-incident showing similar river and tidal conditions to the day of the tragedy
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A conversation inadvertently recorded on Lloyd's phone hours after the incident captured her admitting the tragedy was "100 per cent" her fault.
Theresa Hall, mother of Morgan Rogers, said she lost her "best friend" when her daughter died on the paddleboarding trip.
Speaking outside Swansea Crown Court, Hall said: "It's been three long years and seven months since I lost my only daughter, Morgan, my best friend."
"She was always smiling, always happy, always content in her life. She didn't want to rock the world, she wanted to live a respectful life."
Morgan Rogers, Nicola Wheatley, Paul O'Dwyer and Andrea Powell
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Hall revealed it was over 12 hours before she was informed of her daughter's death because Lloyd failed to get next of kin details.
"My precious girl was not important to Nerys Lloyd. That was despicable," she said.
Darren Wheatley, husband of Nicola Wheatley, said in a statement: "Losing Nicola has devastated our family and two young children lost their mammy."
"Nicola died in circumstances that were completely avoidable. Decisions made by Nerys Lloyd, and only Nerys Lloyd, led to the four lives lost."
He added: "Our lives will never be the same again."
Haverfordwest Town Weir during low flow conditions, with vertical crest and sloping upper glacis.
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Kayaks in the water at the site of the weir in Haverfordwest following the accident
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Mrs Justice Stacey told Lloyd: "Let me make clear and I stress, you and Paul did not intend any harm to any of the participants who were your friends and you were horrified at what happened that day."
However, the judge added: "You chose to lead the group over a weir in conditions that could not have been more treacherous, placing all of them in extreme danger."
She criticised Lloyd's "abysmal" approach to health and safety, noting she "knew better" from her police and RNLI training.
The judge paid tribute to the families of those who died for their "dignity and courage in the midst of overwhelming grief".
Nerys Lloyd at the riverside in Haverfordwest following the accident
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Detective Superintendent Cameron Ritchie of Dyfed-Powys Police described the tragedy as "completely avoidable".
"We hope that lessons will be learned that prevent this from ever happening again," he said.
Lisa Rose from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "Lloyd was not qualified to take inexperienced paddleboarders out in such conditions, and her actions fell very far below the standard expected."
