RELATIVES SAY LATEST COURT BID HAS REOPENED PAIN AFTER FOUR DEATHS ON WESTERN CLEDDAU

THE FAMILIES of victims of the Haverfordwest paddleboarding tragedy have spoken of their anger after the woman jailed over four deaths failed in a bid to challenge her sentence.

Nerys Bethan Lloyd, 41, from Port Talbot, was jailed for 10 years and six months after admitting gross negligence manslaughter following the deaths of Paul O’Dwyer, Andrea Powell, Morgan Rogers and Nicola Wheatley.

The four died after a paddleboarding trip on the Western Cleddau in Haverfordwest went disastrously wrong on October 30, 2021.

Three Court of Appeal judges rejected arguments that Lloyd’s sentence was “manifestly excessive”.

The failed appeal has now prompted fresh criticism from grieving families, who say they have been forced to relive the tragedy again.

Morgan Rogers’ mother, Teresa Hall, said Lloyd should “leave the families in peace”, adding that those who lost loved ones were serving “life sentences” of their own.

Nicola Wheatley’s husband, Darren, said he broke down when the appeal was rejected, describing the decision as a moment of relief after another agonising legal hearing.

The tragedy happened during a commercial paddleboarding tour from Haverfordwest towards Burton Ferry. The group encountered the town weir in dangerous river conditions, with several participants becoming trapped in the powerful hydraulic towback.

A Marine Accident Investigation Branch report later found the deaths were “tragic and avoidable”, highlighting failures in planning, risk assessment, safety briefings, equipment and awareness of the danger posed by the weir.

At sentencing, the court heard Lloyd had failed to produce a written risk assessment for the trip and that the group had not been properly warned about the weir.

The case remains one of Pembrokeshire’s most devastating modern tragedies, with the deaths sending shockwaves through Haverfordwest and across Wales.

Lloyd remains in custody following the failed appeal bid.

Thirty-three-year-old admitted repeated thefts from town centre stores before failing to attend probation appointments

A CARMARTHEN woman who carried out a string of shop thefts across the town before breaching a suspended sentence order has been jailed for 44 weeks.

Jessica Mudd, aged 33, of Ross Avenue, Carmarthen, was sentenced at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jun 8) after failing without reasonable excuse to comply with a community requirement attached to a suspended sentence order.

The court heard that Mudd failed to attend two appointments at Carmarthen Probation Office on May 6 and May 18, breaching an order imposed by Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on March 12.

As a result, magistrates activated a suspended prison sentence and ordered that Mudd serve a total of 44 weeks in custody.

The sentence followed a lengthy list of offences committed in Carmarthen between September 2025 and February 2026, including repeated thefts from shops across the town centre.

Court records show Mudd stole miscellaneous items worth £44 from Flying Tiger in St Catherine’s Walk on February 13, followed by clothing valued at £85.95 from New Look in the same shopping centre.

On February 20, she stole baby items worth £100 from TK Maxx in Merlin’s Walk Shopping Centre and Pampers nappies worth £28 from B&M Stores in Hall Street.

Two days later, on February 22, Mudd stole cleaning products and a joint of beef worth £85.42 from the Co-op in King Street.

The court also heard that on February 24 she stole lunar boots worth £65 from Coco Blush in Cambrian Way.

Earlier offending included the theft of fragrances worth £500 from Boots in September 2025, dog food from Pets at Home, household detergent and food from the Co-op, a scarf from Poundland, and further shop thefts from B&M and other retailers.

As part of the same offending period, Mudd was also convicted of assaulting David Gareth Watson by beating in Mansel Street, Carmarthen, on February 24, as well as criminal damage after damaging clothing and glasses belonging to the same man.

Magistrates implemented an 18-week suspended prison sentence imposed in March for the theft matters, together with an additional consecutive term linked to another case, resulting in an overall sentence of 44 weeks’ imprisonment.

Mudd was also ordered to pay £60 in court costs.

A DVLA worker who secretly altered official vehicle records to make damaged, stolen and cloned cars appear legitimate has been jailed.

Matthew Holloway used his access to DVLA systems to help Swansea car dealers and others hide the true histories of vehicles, Swansea Crown Court heard.

The fraud meant cars which should have carried warning markers could be made to look cleaner, newer or more valuable on paper.

Holloway, aged 32, of Ffordd y Mynydd, Birchgrove, Swansea, admitted conspiracy to commit fraud alongside Ashley Keith Harris, also known as Keith Wayne Lewis, aged 44, of Tawe Road, Llansamlet, and Joshua John Sawyer, aged 31, of Treharne Road, Morriston.

The offending took place between January 2021 and July 2022.

The court heard Holloway worked in a trusted DVLA role dealing with specialist registration matters.

Instead of protecting the integrity of the system, he used his position to interfere with records, including log book details, vehicle identification numbers, write-off markers and destruction certificates.

The prosecution said his actions helped conceal previous crashes, remove former keepers, and create false identities for vehicles which had been stolen, cloned or reconstructed.

Some alterations were made for Harris and Sawyer, who were involved in the motor trade in Swansea. Others were carried out for people and organisations elsewhere in the UK.

Among the vehicles affected were high-value models including an Audi, a Ferrari, a BMW, a Mercedes-AMG and a Range Rover Sport.

The Range Rover, worth around £65,000, had been stolen before being given false paperwork and sold on to an innocent buyer.

Prosecutors said the tampering increased the value of affected vehicles by around £1.29m.

The court was told Harris gained about £90,000, Sawyer about £75,000, and Holloway was paid £23,400 for making the changes. The DVLA also lost about £27,000 in unpaid fees.

Harris had previous convictions, including drug trafficking and fraud. Holloway and Sawyer had no previous convictions.

Defence barristers said Holloway was ashamed of what he had done, Sawyer had made a serious error while trying to build a car sales business, and Harris had difficult personal circumstances involving his young daughter’s health.

Judge Huw Rees said the case was organised crime and had damaged trust in a national vehicle registration system relied on by motorists, traders and police.

He said greed lay behind the offending.

Holloway was jailed for five years and three months.

Harris was sentenced to two years and eight months, while Sawyer was jailed for two years and four months.

After the sentencing, Lisa McCarthy, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS Cymru-Wales’ complex casework unit, said the defendants had worked to conceal the real status and history of vehicles.

She said Holloway had abused a trusted DVLA position for financial benefit, putting at risk the accuracy of records used across the UK.

A DVLA spokesperson said Holloway was dismissed immediately after the fraud was identified.

The agency said it had since strengthened internal controls and continued to work with police and partner organisations to tackle vehicle fraud.

Photo caption: Jailed: Matthew Holloway, Joshua Sawyer and Ashley Harris were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court (Pic: South Wales Police).