Evan Williams Sentenced to Three Years for Assaulting Dog Walker on His Property

A three-year prison sentence has been handed down to horse trainer Evan Williams for a violent attack on a dog walker who had wandered onto his land. The incident occurred on December 4, 2024, at Williams' property in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales, where 55-year-old Williams used a hockey stick to repeatedly strike 72-year-old Martin Dandridge, resulting in serious injuries including a fractured arm. Williams had denied the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent but was found guilty by a jury after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. 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 noted that while Williams had spoken about protecting his family and champion racehorses, this protection should not have come at the expense of Mr Dandridge's well-being. The incident follows an earlier event where Williams encountered poachers on his land and was threatened with a shotgun, an experience the judge acknowledged must have been frightening. However, the judge emphasized that it is never acceptable to take the law into one's own hands and that calling the police is always the better course of action. Evan 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 under the name of his wife, Cath, who took over the training license after Williams' conviction.