**Former Police Officer and Jailed Paddleboard Boss, Nerys Lloyd, Dismissed for Insurance Fraud Prior to Haverfordwest Tragedy**
Nerys Lloyd, the former police officer and paddleboarding instructor at the centre of the Haverfordwest river tragedy, was dismissed from the police force for insurance fraud before the tragic incident on the River Cleddau that claimed four lives. Recently published documents from South Wales Police cast new light on Lloyd’s previous conduct and the sequence of events leading up to the fatal incident in October 2021.
Lloyd, from Aberavon, was sentenced to ten years and six months in prison earlier this month after pleading guilty to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and a breach of health and safety laws. These charges resulted from the fatal paddleboarding event she organised, which went ahead despite severe weather warnings and exceptionally hazardous river conditions.
But it has now been revealed that Lloyd’s fall from grace began before the river tragedy. In January 2022, an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing led by South Wales Police Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan found Lloyd had violated professional behaviour standards, specifically relating to integrity and honesty. The disciplinary process concluded she was guilty of insurance fraud after submitting a false claim while still serving as a police constable.
Details released by police show that Lloyd submitted a claim for £577.55 against the force’s insurance scheme. The claim, made in connection with repairs to her personal vehicle, was discovered to be vastly inflated—the real cost of the repairs was only between £16 and £20. Upon investigation, Lloyd is said to have admitted her wrongdoing, immediately apologising for what she described as an “error of judgement.” Nevertheless, the financial discrepancy was clear and the seriousness of the breach prompted swift action.
In October 2021—the very month of the Cleddau disaster—Lloyd accepted a formal police caution for fraud by false representation under the Fraud Act 2006, and she subsequently repaid the money. This caution and the misconduct hearing occurred just two weeks before the river tragedy where four participants—Nicola Wheatley, Morgan Rogers, Paul O’Dwyer, and Andrea Powell—tragically lost their lives after being swept away by fast-flowing water while paddleboarding in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.
Observers have noted the tragic timeline, with misconduct and criminal dishonesty preceding a catastrophic event for which Lloyd would later take primary responsibility. South Wales Police said the release of these historical details came following the conclusion of the criminal case, in the interests of public transparency and accountability.
During Lloyd’s sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, Mrs Justice Dame Mary Stacey acknowledged Lloyd’s sorrow but differentiated between regret and genuine remorse. The judge told Lloyd that while her life had been “massively impacted,” sorrow does not equate to true remorse for her actions—both in her professional and subsequent private capacity as an outdoor adventure leader.
Lloyd, who has largely remained silent throughout her trial and sentencing, reportedly showed no emotion as her jail term was handed down, merely nodding at the judge and quietly mouthing “thank you.” The court previously heard that Lloyd pressed ahead with the paddleboarding tour despite multiple weather warnings and clear hazards posed by the swollen rivers. The outing ended in disaster as the nine-person group was swept through a weir, resulting in four fatalities.
The revelation of Lloyd’s prior insurance fraud adds an uncomfortable dimension to her case, raising inevitable questions about her judgement and character during and after her time in police service. The South Wales Police have expressed condolences to the victims’ families and affirmed their commitment to high professional standards among their personnel, noting the rare but serious nature of breaches such as this.
With both the sacking from the police force and criminal convictions now public, the Nerys Lloyd case stands as a stark reminder of the far-reaching consequences of accountability lapses, both within the police force and in the wider community context. The impact of her actions, both as a public servant and later as a private citizen, will undoubtedly be felt in Wales and beyond for years to come.