Families criticise 'lack of remorse' as paddleboard tour operator sentenced for manslaughter
The families of the paddleboarders who died at Haverfordwest Weir have praised safety changes since 2021 - but warned more needs to be done
Last updated 22nd Apr 2025
Families of the four paddleboarders - who died at Haverfordwest Weir - today criticised the owner of the tour operator for 'a lack of remorse' after she posted smiling pictures with her family at Christmas just weeks later.
The Honourable Mrs Justice Stacey is currently sentencing Nerys Bethan Lloyd.
Paddleboarding is the UK's fastest growing sport and the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents called what happened at Haverfordwest Town Weir on October 30, 2021, a 'tragic and avoidable accident that had a profound effect on the participants and the families of those that lost their lives'.
Paul O'Dwyer, 42, from Port Talbot; Morgan Rogers, 24, from Merthyr Tydfil; Nicola Wheatley, 40, from Swansea; and Andrea Powell, 41, from Bridgend, all died as a result of the trip after setting off as a group of nine on the Cleddau River.
The now dissolved Salty Dog paddleboard tour company owner, 39, an ex-police officer from Port Talbot, admitted to gross negligence manslaughter after the deaths and one offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
An investigation revealed a lack of planning, training and safety equipment, with the trip conducted in flood conditions during a weather warning.
Today's sentencing hearing heard that none of the participants in the tour 'were even close' to making it down the fish ramp at the weir and only 'good fortune' kept four of the eight participants alive - as they attempted to follow the defendant. The court was told the force of the water was 'completely overwhelming' and despite someone trying to throw a safety line the efforts were 'ultimately futile'. Onlookers later told investigators they were 'surprised to see paddleboarders on the river' that day.
The sentencing hearing heard the defendant had 'rebuffed suggestions' after concerns were raised before venturing out and did not hold an adequate qualification to lead the tour, nor did another group member Paul O'Dwyer. A detailed discussion between the pair - including alternative route options – was also relayed to the court, including one where she replied ‘sounds boring’ and ‘stick to the original’. The court also heard there was no pre-setting off safety briefing for the participants who did not expect to cross the weir - with all members wearing surfing-style ankle leashes as a posed to quick-release safety leashes.
The judge was told the defendant, who a report criticised for a lack of safety equipment, used a quick-release waist belt during the training courses she had attended - which was aimed at new instructors but was not intended to cover trips in white water, fast-flowing or through weirs.
The course had stressed the potential dangers of weirs - with a 'higher level' course on offer for more 'adventure paddling'.
Mark Watson KC, speaking for the prosecution, told the court that Lloyd and Mr O'Dwyer, who helped act as an instructor, were "not remotely qualified" and that the stretch of river had a "real potential for danger".
Mr O'Dwyer, who initially got out of the river safely, re-entered in an attempt to rescue the others, but was immediately dragged over the weir. All four victims died from drowning.
The court was told in September 2021 the defendant had sought funding from a local council to help establish a children's stand up paddleboard club.
What did the families of those who died say in victim impact statements?
Mark Powell, the husband of Andrea Powell, 41, from Bridgend, told the court she was 'a wonderful and completely natural mother' to their son and her donated organs had since saved five lives.
The partner of 19 years told the court: "Seeing my wife in a coffin at the age of 41 is something I never thought would happen" as he reflected on the 'absolute anger' and grief his family has endured, with his sister one of the survivors that fateful day.
He described what he called 'failings on a monumental scale' by a former police officer who should have known how to 'manage risk' and cited what he felt was 'no remorse' which had caused proceeding to last three and a half years.
Andrea's dad reflected on the 'dreadful emptiness' he felt and how his daughter's 'joy of life was infectious', having been in touch with her on an almost daily basis.
He said she had a 'fantastic sense of humour' and she 'ensured we always felt loved' and 'miss her every day'.
The victim impact statement called it an 'entirely avoidable accident' and reflected how a serving police officer may have given the group a sense of security' even though she'd ignored amber flood warnings for the region
Theresa, the mother Morgan Rogers, 24, from Merthyr Tydfil, told the defendant: "Morgan died a horrendous death because of your negligence and arrogance.
She reflected: "The loss of Morgan is a shadow which follows me and casts a veil over my life. You guided Morgan to her death - the physical and mental pain that I now live with is too much to bear. Morgan was my only daughter and a precious girl."
She added: "I go to bed at night thinking about you Nerys and wake up thinking about you" as 'Morgan thought she was in very safe hands that day'.
She reflected on the hours it took to identify the victims as the defendant 'did not have basic information about the group' and how she will never be able to forgive the defendant.
Robert Rogers, father of Morgan, said 'she had her whole life in front of her, she had so many plans'.
He added: "As a father to have to bury your own daughter is not a path you want any other human being to walk."
He added following the 'utterly avoidable events' that 'my family has a life sentence of grief for our remaining days' as she helped keep the family together and 'without her we are a ship without its rudder'.
Darren, the husband of Nicola Wheatley, 40, from Swansea said she was an 'amazing' wife and mother and had been looking forward to the paddleboard trip for weeks and was 'so trusting'.
He told Nerys she had showed 'no remorse, no regret' and 'continued to live your life as though nothing ever happened' - and after telling his family what happened he wanted to 'explode'.
He reflected on pictures of the defendant posting smiling Christmas family events online five weeks later - after what he called her 'reckless despicable actions' - as he went through 'a living hell' of a first Christmas without her.
"Nichola should be here with us, but you have stolen that from us," he said.
The mother of Nicola Wheatley described her daughter as her 'rock' and reflected 'this should not have happened'. She told the court how she wished she'd stopped her from going on the trip or taking her on a holiday where she first saw paddleboarding.
She asked 'why take them down a weir, why didn't you prepare them, why didn't you have contingencies, why do it on a day where there was weather warning in place?'
She reflected that Nichola has paddle boarded before but 'planned everything' in previous trips - adding 'if she had known there was any risk that day she wouldn't have gone on the water that day'.
One survivor of the trip told the court that no words can 'truly capture the devastation' of that day and reflected on the guilt she felt after being ‘kicked’ to safety by Andrea - reflecting on the ongoing impacts she has suffered.
The wife of Paul O'Dwyer, 42, reflected to Nerys you have been 'flaunting your carefree life on social media' after her husband died trying to save others that day.
She reflected on the 'unimaginable loss' of hers and other families.
Mr O'Dwyer's 15 year old son James' impact statement said: "My dad wasn't just my dad, but my best friend and biggest inspiration and now he's gone."
He added the 'one thing that has saved me has been surfing, which my dad taught me - whilst reflecting he's come face to face with the defendant in the water, who he felt has not shown respect to the families.
One family member told the court she was 'encouraged' to see safety changes in the sport, through the work of Paddle UK and Paddle Cymru.
The court was told 'this tragedy happened because of poor decision making by people who did not have the skills, knowledge and expertise' and that 'avoidable tragedies should not be allowed to occur'.
She urged the 'SUP world' to 'learn from the mistakes of this tragic incident and please not let it happen again'.
Another family member and best friend of the defendant said Nerys has shown remorse: "I have seen her suffering day after day for the decisions and mistakes that were made and the heartbreak and suffering it caused" - adding that social media is ‘so far from the truth’.
She added: "I did not know what was ahead of me, if I did I would not have gone on the river that day" adding there was still 'a long way to go' for safety changes.
During the victim impact statements there were a number of mentions of quick-release waist belts and the need for better coordinated safety awareness and training.
Has anything changed since the tragedy?
A detailed report into what happened at Haverfordwest can be found here
In February 2023, as a direct result of what happened at Haverfordwest a new world-leading joint governing body was formally recognised to oversee safety.