Trainer Receives Three-Year Prison Sentence for Assault on Dog Walker

Evan Williams, a 55-year-old trainer, has been sentenced to three years in prison for a violent attack on a 72-year-old dog walker who was found on his property. The incident, which occurred on December 4, 2024, at Williams' land in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales, left the victim, Martin Dandridge, with serious injuries, including a fractured arm. Williams, who denied the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, was convicted by a unanimous jury after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. During the sentencing, Recorder Angharad Price stated that Williams had made a choice to confront the victim instead of waiting for the police to arrive, and that his actions were unacceptable. The judge also referenced a prior incident where Williams had encountered poachers on his land and was threatened with a shotgun, but emphasized that this did not justify taking the law into his own hands. Williams, a renowned trainer with multiple Grade One wins, including successes at the Cheltenham Festival, will now serve a three-year prison term.