Trainer Evan Williams Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Assaulting 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 on his property. The incident occurred on December 4, 2024, in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales, where Williams repeatedly struck the victim, Martin Dandridge, with a hockey stick, causing serious injuries, including a fractured arm. 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 highlighted an earlier incident where Williams had been threatened with a shotgun by poachers on his land, but emphasized that taking the law into his own hands was never acceptable. Williams, a successful trainer with multiple Grade One wins, including at the Cheltenham Festival, will now serve a three-year prison term.