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

Evan Williams, a renowned horse trainer, has been sentenced to three years in prison for a violent attack on a dog walker who was on his property. The 55-year-old trainer repeatedly struck 72-year-old Martin Dandridge with a hockey stick, resulting in serious injuries, including a fractured arm. The incident occurred on Williams' land in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales, on December 4, 2024. Despite denying the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, Williams was found guilty by a unanimous jury after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court in March. During sentencing, Recorder Angharad Price condemned Williams' actions, stating that he had made a choice to confront the victim instead of waiting for the police to arrive. The judge noted that while Williams had a history of protecting his family and champion racehorses, this protection should not have come at the expense of Mr. Dandridge's well-being. Williams' past experiences, including a threatening incident with poachers six weeks prior to the assault, were taken into consideration, but the judge emphasized that it is never acceptable to take the law into one's own hands. As a multiple Grade One-winning trainer, Williams' success at the Cheltenham Festival is well-documented, but his recent conviction has led to his wife, Cath, taking over the licence. Last month, one of their horses, Ask Brewster, won the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase at Cheltenham under Cath's name.