A three-year prison sentence has been handed down to trainer Evan Williams for a violent assault on a dog walker who was on his property. The incident occurred on December 4, 2024, when Williams, 55, used a hockey stick to repeatedly strike 72-year-old Martin Dandridge, resulting in injuries including a fractured arm. Following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court in March, Williams was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent by a unanimous jury.
During the sentencing, Recorder Angharad Price condemned Williams' actions as 'appalling' and emphasized that Mr. Dandridge still suffers from the consequences of the attack. The judge noted that Williams had a choice to either confront the dog walker himself or wait for the police to arrive, highlighting that protection of his property and family should not come at the expense of others.
Williams, a successful multiple Grade One-winning trainer, had previously been involved in an incident where he was threatened with a shotgun by poachers on his land, but the judge stressed that taking the law into one's own hands is never acceptable. The sentence aims to serve as a lesson to Williams that it is always best to call the police when a crime is suspected.