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Nerys Lloyd, a paddleboard firm owner, has been jailed for 10 years and six months for gross negligence manslaughter following the deaths of four people in 2021.

Gross negligence manslaughter and health and safety: lessons from the Haverfordwest paddleboarding tragedy

This article discusses a fatal incident involving four members of the public. It is written as a professional health and safety case study, with respect for those who died, their families and the survivors affected.

Nerys Bethan Lloyd jailed for 10 years: the case details

  • Nerys Lloyd, a paddleboard firm owner, has been jailed for 10 years and six months for gross negligence manslaughter following the deaths of four people in 2021.
  • Nerys Bethan Lloyd, 39, from Aberavon, sole director of Salty Dog Co Ltd, was convicted of the gross negligence manslaughter of four people—Paul O’Dwyer (42), Andrea Powell (41), Morgan Rogers (24), and Nicola Wheatley (40)—following the Haverfordwest Town Weir incident on 30 October 2021.
  • She admitted all four counts of gross negligence manslaughter on 5 March 2025, along with one Health and Safety at Work Act violation.
  • At her sentencing, the court heard how on 30 October 2021, Lloyd with the assistance of Paul O’Dwyer planned a trip organised through Lloyd’s business.
  • Despite severe weather warnings and heavy flooding—with the Cleddau river running dangerously fast and the weir in extremely hazardous condition—Lloyd did not check the weir conditions, provided no safety briefing, and did not inform participants of the weir’s presence. She proceeded to facilitate the paddleboarders entering the water and led the group along the river.
  • As the group approached the weir, apart from Lloyd, all the participants were pulled over the top into its base and became trapped before being ejected from the weir. Four of the participants survived.
  • Instructor Paul O’Dwyer initially exited the river safely but re-entered the water to rescue others and was immediately dragged over the weir. All four victims died from drowning or immersion.
  • A joint HSE and Dyfed-Powys Police investigation found that Lloyd was not correctly qualified to lead stand-up paddleboard river tours. The HSE determined she did not hold the required Adventure Activities Licence. Anyone organising adventure activities for under-18s must be licenced by the Adventure Activities Licencing Authority.
  • HSE Inspector Helen Turner said: “I would like to express our sincere sympathy to the families of those who died, and to the survivors whose lives are indelibly affected.
  • “Four lives were needlessly lost and survivors traumatised by their experience at Haverfordwest weir.
  • “Nerys Lloyd was solely responsible for the decision to enter the water while the river was in flood, and for the attempt to take even inexperienced paddlers over the weir. This was completely reckless and the risk of death was foreseeable.
  • “The victims placed their trust in Lloyd to deliver a safe and enjoyable paddle, but through her incompetence, carelessness and complacency she failed to plan or assess the obvious risk at the weir or to take even basic safety measures. By not discussing the hazards on the route Lloyd robbed the participants of the opportunity to make a reasoned decision on their own participation on the day.
  • ” Health and safety law is not a barrier to adventurous activities, which are enjoyed by people every day in safety. Organisers must take proportionate action to recognise and manage real risks.”
  • Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Cameron Ritchie, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said: “Firstly, I would like to reiterate my heartfelt sympathies to the families of Paul, Andrea, Morgan and Nicola.
  • “This incident at Haverfordwest on 30 October 2021 was an extremely tragic case resulting in the completely avoidable deaths of four people. We heard in court how this incident devastated four families, and we hope that lessons will be learned that prevent this from ever happening again.”

What adventure activity operators must know about health and safety law and prosecution risk

  • Legal Duty: All employers in the UK have a legal duty to ensure the health and safety and welfare of their employees and others who may be affected by their work activities. This includes identifying hazards, assessing risks, and implementing appropriate control measures.
  • Risk Assessment: A fundamental part of controlling risk is conducting thorough and regular risk assessments. This involves identifying potential hazards, evaluating the likelihood and severity of harm, and putting in place measures to eliminate or control those risks.
  • Control Measures: Control measures can include a wide range of actions, such as:
  • Eliminating the hazard completely.
  • Substituting a less hazardous substance or process.
  • Engineering controls (e.g., machine guarding, ventilation).
  • Administrative controls (e.g., safe working procedures, training).
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) as a last resort.
  • In the Lloyd case: None of these measures were implemented. There was no hazard identification, no risk assessment, no safety briefing, and no proper route assessment—failures that directly contributed to four preventable deaths.
  • HSE Enforcement: The HSE has various powers to ensure compliance with health and safety legislation, including:
  • Providing advice and guidance.
  • Carrying out inspections.
  • Issuing improvement notices or prohibition notices.
  • Bringing prosecutions in cases of serious breaches.
  • Sentencing Guidelines: The courts follow sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences, which take into account factors such as the culpability of the business, the level of harm risked, and the size of the organisation. Fines can be substantial, and in cases of gross negligence leading to death, individuals can face imprisonment.
  • Importance for All Operators: Adventure activity businesses, tourism operators, and outdoor experience providers cannot rely on lack of resources as a defence. All organisations must treat health and safety as non-negotiable and prioritise proper planning, hazard assessment, participant briefing, and operator competency verification.

The Nerys Lloyd case demonstrates the catastrophic legal, criminal and human consequences of failing to conduct risk assessments, brief participants on hazards, verify operator qualifications, or implement basic safety controls. All adventure activity businesses must understand these obligations and take them seriously.

For organisations operating higher-risk activities, Salusphere Global can help review risk assessments, safety arrangements, competence, briefing processes and evidence of control. speak with Salusphere Global about a health and safety audit or workplace risk assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to Nerys Lloyd?

Nerys Bethan Lloyd, 39, owner and sole director of Salty Dog Co Ltd, was jailed for 10 years and six months in March 2025 for the gross negligence manslaughter of four people: Paul O’Dwyer, Andrea Powell, Morgan Rogers and Nicola Wheatley, who died at Haverfordwest Town Weir on 30 October 2021. She admitted four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and one offence under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act. The HSE investigation found that she was not appropriately qualified to lead paddleboard river tours and had failed to carry out a risk assessment, provide safety briefings or check weir conditions before leading inexperienced paddleboarders into dangerously flooded water.

Where did the paddleboard deaths occur?

The paddleboard deaths occurred at Haverfordwest Town Weir on the River Cleddau on 30 October 2021. Despite severe weather warnings and heavy flooding, Nerys Lloyd allowed paddleboarders to enter the water without checking conditions or informing participants of the weir’s presence. All four participants, apart from Lloyd, were pulled over the top of the weir. Paul O’Dwyer died during a rescue attempt, and the other three died from drowning or immersion.

What qualifications do adventure activity operators need?

Adventure activity operators leading activities involving under-18s must hold a licence from the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority. All operators must also be suitably qualified and competent to deliver activities safely. This includes carrying out suitable and sufficient risk assessments, identifying hazards, including environmental risks such as flooding or weir conditions, providing clear safety briefings and putting appropriate control measures in place. The HSE found that Lloyd had failed to meet these basic requirements, which contributed to her conviction for gross negligence manslaughter.