Trainer Evan Williams Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Assaulting Dog Walker

Evan Williams, a 55-year-old horse trainer, has been sentenced to three years in prison for a violent assault on a 72-year-old dog walker, Martin Dandridge, who was walking on Williams' land in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. The incident occurred on December 4, 2024, and resulted in Mr Dandridge suffering serious injuries, including a fractured arm, after being repeatedly struck with a hockey stick. Williams denied the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent but was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court in March. During the sentencing, Recorder Angharad Price stated that Williams had made a choice to confront Mr Dandridge instead of waiting for police to arrive, and that his actions were unacceptable. The judge also referenced an earlier incident where Williams had encountered poachers on his land and was threatened with a shotgun, acknowledging that this must have been frightening but emphasizing that it is never acceptable to take the law into one's own hands. Williams, a successful multiple Grade One-winning trainer, will now serve a three-year prison sentence.