A South Wales Police Accelerated Misconduct Hearing found Nerys Lloyd had breached professional behaviour standards by placing a fraudulent insurance claim
Nerys Lloyd, the paddleboard instructor who was jailed for 10 years and six months after four people died on the River Cleddau in October 2021, was sacked from South Wales Police for fraudulent insurance claim.
In January 2022, at an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing, Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan found that Lloyd had breached professional behaviour standards and should be dismissed. South Wales Police have now released previously unpublished details of the misconduct investigation and insurance fraud now that the criminal case against Lloyd, from Aberavon, had concluded.
Lloyd had made a fraudulant claim against the police insurance scheme in relation to the cost of repair to her own vehicle. While the repairs to her car cost in the region of £16 to £20 the subsequent insurance claim made by PC Lloyd was for £577.55, the hearing conclusion document said.
Lloyd was said to have “admitted her wrong doing and immediately apologised for her behaviour, stating it was an error of judgement.” Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here
The matter was reported to South Wales Police and Lloyd was then subject of a formal caution for the criminal offence of fraud by false representationc contrary to sections 1 and 2 of the Fraud Act 2006, in October 2021. Lloyd repaid the money.
This was just two weeks before the tragedy on the River Cleddau which saw Nicola Wheatley, Morgan Rogers, Paul O’Dwyer and Andrea Powell lose their lives.
Earlier this month Lloyd pleaded guilty to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and one offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act in March, and was sentenced by Mrs Justice Dame Mary Stacey at Swansea Crown Court. Lloyd has organised a stand-up paddleboarding tour on the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in October 2021 despite “extremely hazardous conditions” and weather warnings in place.
Handing Lloyd a 10-year and six-month sentence, the judge told Lloyd: “I accept you are desperately sorry for what happened that day.
“Your life has also been massively impacted. But being sorry for what happened is different from remorse.”
Lloyd showed no emotion as her sentence was read out, only nodding at the judge and mouthing “thank you”.
