Paddleboard guide who led 4 people to their deaths on Welsh river imprisoned for 10 years

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LONDON (AP) — A former Welsh police officer who who led four people to their deaths in a paddleboarding tragedy in the U.K. was sentenced Wednesday to 10.5 years in prison for manslaughter.

Nerys Bethan Lloyd, 39, had previously pleaded guilty in Swansea Crown Court to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and failing to discharge her duty for the Oct. 30, 2021 incident.

The River Cleddau in Haverfordwest was raging after heavy rains when Lloyd, who operated a side business called the Salty Dog, made the ill-fated decision to lead a group of beginners toward a dangerous weir where the churning waters created a deadly undertow.

Lloyd had not warned the group about the obstacle nor instructed them how to get over it safely.

While Lloyd managed to navigate her way down a narrow fish ramp that bisected the low dam, several customers were swept over the top and sucked under the turbulent brown waters.

Paul O’Dwyer, who helped Lloyd lead the tour, managed to reach shore but returned to the river to help those in distress and was also killed.

Andrea Powell, 41, Morgan Rogers, 24, and Nicola Wheatley, 40, also drowned.

“I accept you are desperately sorry for what happened that day,” Justice Mary Stacey said. ““Your life has also been massively impacted. But being sorry for what happened is different from remorse.”

Prosecutor Mark Watson said Lloyd and O’Dwyer were not remotely qualified to guide clients on the dangerous stretch of river.

Defense lawyer David Elias read a statement from Lloyd, saying she took full blame for the incident.

“The pain for me has been unbearable but the pain for the families unmeasurable,” Lloyd wrote.