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

Horse trainer Evan Williams, 55, has been sentenced to three years in prison for a vicious attack on a 72-year-old dog walker, Martin Dandridge, who was walking on Williams' land in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. The incident, which occurred on December 4, 2024, left Mr Dandridge with serious injuries, including a fractured arm, after Williams repeatedly struck him with a hockey stick. Williams denied the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent but was found guilty by a unanimous jury after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. During the sentencing, Recorder Angharad Price condemned Williams' actions, stating that he had made a choice to confront Mr Dandridge instead of waiting for the police to arrive. The judge also referenced an earlier 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 successful trainer with multiple Grade One wins, including at the Cheltenham Festival, will now serve a three-year prison sentence.