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

Evan Williams, a renowned horse trainer, has been sentenced to three years in prison for attacking a 72-year-old dog walker on his property. The incident occurred on December 4, 2024, in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales, and left the victim, Martin Dandridge, with serious injuries, including a fractured arm. Williams, 55, 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, the judge emphasized that Williams had a choice to either confront the dog walker himself or wait for the police to arrive, but instead, he chose to attack Mr. Dandridge with a hockey stick. The judge also referenced a previous incident where Williams had encountered poachers on his land and was threatened with a shotgun, but stated that this did not justify taking the law into his own hands. Williams, a multiple Grade One-winning trainer, has had significant success at the Cheltenham Festival. His wife, Cath, has taken over his licence since his conviction, and one of their horses, Ask Brewster, recently won the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.