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

Evan Williams, a renowned horse trainer, has been sentenced to three years in prison for a violent assault on a dog walker who had entered his property. The incident occurred on December 4, 2024, at Williams' land in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales, where he attacked 72-year-old Martin Dandridge with a hockey stick, causing 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, 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 that while Williams had a right to protect his family and champion racehorses, this should not have come at the expense of Mr Dandridge's well-being. The incident was also linked to a previous event where Williams had encountered poachers on his land and was threatened with a shotgun. The judge 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. Despite his success in the racing world, including multiple Grade One wins at the Cheltenham Festival, Williams will now serve a three-year prison term. Recently, one of his horses, Ask Brewster, won the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase at Cheltenham under the name of his wife, Cath, who had taken over the licence after Williams' conviction.