Trainer Receives Three-Year Prison Sentence for Assaulting Dog Walker

Evan Williams, a 55-year-old trainer, has been sentenced to three years in prison for attacking a 72-year-old dog walker who was on his property. The incident occurred on December 4, 2024, at Williams' land in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales, and resulted in the dog walker, Martin Dandridge, suffering a fractured arm and other injuries after being repeatedly struck with a hockey stick. Williams was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court in March, despite denying the charge. During the sentencing, Recorder Angharad Price condemned Williams' actions, stating that he had made a choice to confront Mr Dandridge himself instead of waiting for the police to arrive. The judge also referenced a prior incident where Williams had encountered poachers on his land and was threatened with a shotgun, acknowledging that this must have been a frightening experience. However, she emphasized that it is never acceptable to take the law into one's own hands and that the sentence should serve as a lesson to Williams. Williams is a renowned trainer with multiple Grade One wins, including successes at the Cheltenham Festival. Recently, one of his horses, Ask Brewster, won the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, running under the name of his wife, Cath, who had taken over the licence after Williams' conviction.