Crime
Former police officer appears in court over paddleboarding deaths
NERYS BETHAN LLOYD, 39, a former police officer, has appeared before magistrates charged with the manslaughter of four people who died during a paddleboarding incident in Haverfordwest.
Lloyd, of Jersey Quay, Aberavon, is accused of unlawfully killing Andrea Powell, Morgan Rogers, Nicola Wheatley, and Paul O’Dwyer. The four victims were part of a stand-up paddleboard tour on the River Cleddau on October 30, 2021, which ended in tragedy.
In addition to the manslaughter charges, Lloyd faces a fifth charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Prosecutors allege that she failed to discharge her general health and safety duties, exposing the victims and others in the group to risks to their health or safety. The alleged failure, which contravenes Section 3(2) of the Act, relates to her role as the sole director of the now-defunct outdoor activity company, Salty Dog Co., which organised the tour.
Lloyd appeared before District Judge Mark Layton at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court earlier today (Tuesday, Dec 3). During the hearing, she submitted no pleas to the charges.
Given the seriousness of the case, Judge Layton declined jurisdiction, and the matter was committed to Swansea Crown Court. Lloyd is set to appear there on January 3. She was released on unconditional bail.
The charges stem from Britain’s worst paddleboarding accident, which claimed the lives of four people after they were caught in a flooded weir on the River Cleddau. A report by the Marine Accidents Investigation Branch found that the group had been trapped by hydraulic towback at the weir, with no means of escape.
Lloyd, who left her position with South Wales Police three months after the tragedy, now works for a community charity. The investigation into the incident, conducted by Dyfed-Powys Police and the Marine Accidents Investigation Branch, spanned two years and highlighted safety shortcomings in the organisation of the paddleboarding excursion.
The deaths of the four paddleboarders — Andrea Powell, 41, Morgan Rogers, 24, Nicola Wheatley, 40, and Paul O’Dwyer, 42 — profoundly affected both their families and the wider community. Tributes poured in following the tragedy, with the victims remembered as devoted family members, friends, and outdoor enthusiasts.
Today’s court appearance marks the start of a legal process that has already drawn significant attention and raised questions about safety standards in outdoor water sports.
Crime
Man charged with attempted murder after child found in critical condition
A MAN has been charged after an incident in Cardigan on Wednesday, January 15.
Police were called to an address in Y Ferwig, Cardigan, shortly before 10:15pm following a report of concerns for the welfare of an infant.
A young child was immediately taken to hospital, where they remain in a critical condition.
Rhydian Jamieson, 27, from Cwm Cou, Newcastle Emlyn, has been charged with attempted murder.
Jamieson has been remanded into custody and is set to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Monday (Jan 20).
Investigators have expressed gratitude for the support of the community while enquiries continue.
Crime
Air ambulance called to Parc Prison as inmate suffers ‘severe medical episode’
THE TROUBLED HMP Parc prison in Bridgend faced yet another incident today (January 18), with an air ambulance called to respond to a medical emergency involving an inmate suffering from psychosis.
According to the HMP Prisons Justice Group UK, the incident unfolded during a visitation session when the inmate, reportedly diagnosed with psychosis, experienced a severe panic attack that left him struggling to breathe. Despite prior warnings from medical professionals about his condition, it is alleged that neither G4S, the private firm managing Parc, nor Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, acted to ensure the prisoner received the treatment he urgently needed.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic and distressing, with children and visitors visibly upset. Reports suggest healthcare staff on-site intervened by administering Naloxone, which some prisoners call a “salt shot”.
Naloxone, is an opioid antagonist, a medication used to reverse or reduce the effects of opioids, leading to the inmate collapsing and requiring emergency evacuation to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff for further assessment.
The inmate’s history reveals a troubling pattern of neglect. After a psychiatric assessment on December 13, 2024, he was diagnosed with psychosis and deemed unfit to plead during a court hearing on December 20. The court ordered his transfer to a mental health facility for treatment and anti-psychotic medication. However, as of today, the transfer had not been carried out, leaving the individual untreated for over three months while on remand.
The HMP Prisons Justice Group claims that G4S initially attempted to attribute today’s episode to drug use, a claim that has since been refuted. “When the salt shot was administered, his breathing improved, which wouldn’t have happened if it was drug-related,” the group stated. They accused G4S of using this defense to divert attention from what they describe as systemic neglect.
Campaigners are now calling for urgent reforms to prevent further incidents at Parc Prison. The facility has been plagued by controversy, with ongoing allegations of corruption, inadequate healthcare, and rising violence. Last year alone, assaults on staff increased by 109%, and the prison recorded 17 deaths within 11 months.
The inmate involved in today’s incident is reportedly undergoing psychological assessment at the Heath Hospital, with calls for his immediate sectioning to secure the treatment he needs. Critics argue that the prison’s failure to act on prior court orders highlights the ongoing crisis at Parc.
Campaigners insist that the incident underscores the urgent need for systemic reform at the privately-run facility.
This latest incident raises questions about the prison’s capacity to manage vulnerable inmates and provides further evidence of the deteriorating conditions at Parc Prison, which continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons.
The Wales Air Ambulance has confirmed attendance.
A spokesperson for HMP Parc said: “Our staff responded quickly to a medical incident this afternoon (18 Jan), with a prisoner being taken out to hospital by road ambulance.”
G4S said that primary and secondary healthcare services at HMP Parc are provided by NHS Wales through Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.
Crime
Milford paedophile caught with 1600 indecent images of children avoids jail
A PAEDOPHILE has avoided prison sentence after being caught with nearly 1,600 sickening indecent images and videos of children on his computer – including babies as young as six months old being subjected to abuse from both adults and animals.
Jamie Hughes, 34, now of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, admitted to possessing the material when police attended his address in November 2023.
As officers prepared to search his devices, Hughes said: “It’s me. It’s on my computer.”
Prosecutor Alycia Campanini told Swansea Crown Court that around 1600 indecent images were discovered on Hughes’ gaming laptop. These were classified as:
- 409 Category A images (the most serious),
- 256 Category B images, and
- 886 Category C images.
Among the highly disturbing files was a sickening collage of naked children aged between two and nine being whipped, a video of a dog performing a sexual act on a baby aged between six months and a year, and footage of a child aged five to seven being raped by an adult male.
Hughes’ device also contained files with titles such as “paedo videos” and “young girls and boys,” and his internet history included search terms like “cute pre-teen girls” and “porn pre-teen.”
During his first interview on November 29 he made no comment except to admit possession of indecent images. In a second interview in September 2024, he admitted wrongdoing, claiming he wanted to delete the material but denied obtaining sexual gratification from it.
Judge Paul Thomas KC rejected this claim, stating: “I’m not going to accept for one moment that he gained no sexual gratification and did not masturbate to them.”
Jon Tarrant, defending, said Hughes had now accepted that he derived sexual gratification from the material. Tarrant also told the court that Hughes’ home had been targeted by members of the public following his arrest.
Hughes, previously of clean character, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.
Judge Thomas, addressing Hughes, said: “Anybody wanting to look at this content must be a very sick individual indeed.
“They represent real children somewhere in the world being sexually abused in the most horrific way so that people like you can masturbate to them.”
Hughes was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years.
In addition to the suspended sentence, he must complete 26 sessions of the Building Choices accredited programme, as well as an additional rehabilitation activity requirement.
The defendant must register as a sex offender for ten years, and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order by order of the judge.
There were subsequent protests at Wentworth Close – residents there do not want Hughes living in their street.
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