Champion horse trainer Evan Williams jailed for 3 years for assault | UK | News

A champion horse trainer has been sentenced to three years in prison for attacking a holidaying pensioner walking his dog on his property. Richard Evan Rhys Williams, known as Evan Williams (55), who trains Grand National horses, repeatedly hit Martin Dandridge, 72, with a hockey stick during the attack. Mr Dandridge, from Swindon, Wiltshire, suffered injuries, including a broken arm, in the attack on Williams’ property at Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, on the evening of 4 December 2024.

The defendant denied the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, but was convicted unanimously by a jury after 90 minutes of deliberations following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court in March. And today Recorder Angharad Price sentenced Williams to three years in prison. He told Williams: “This was a horrific attack in which you attacked Mr Dandridge, causing him serious injury. I know you fully understand that he still lives with the impact of your actions on that day 16 months ago.”

The judge told Williams he had a “choice” that day: confront Mr Dandridge himself or wait for nearby police to intervene.

He said: “When you gave evidence in court you spoke very passionately about your champion racehorses and their safety, you talked about protecting them from harm.

“You also talked about protecting your family from harm. But that protection shouldn’t have cost Mr. Dandridge.”

The judge described an incident six weeks before the attack in which Williams harassed poachers on his land and was threatened with a shotgun.

The judge added, “The incident you experienced earlier, filled with threats of violence against you and your home, must have been very frightening.”

“Taking the law into your own hands is never acceptable. This sentence will serve as a lesson to you that it is always better to call the police if you think a crime has been committed.”

During the trial, jurors heard that Mr Dandridge and his wife had been staying at a holiday home near Williams’ training center to be close to their daughter in Cardiff, who had recently given birth to their grandchild.

Mr. Dandridge took Gulliver, the cock-poo, for a walk in the pasture that was part of the stables, and since it was dark he lit torches for himself and his dog.

Williams’ family noticed lights on their property and believed Mr. Dandridge had lit a lamp; Here people used bright lights to find animals such as rabbits and foxes, often along with dogs.

Jurors heard previous incidents of fly-grazing, rabbit herding and poaching, where animals were left on land without permission.

Six weeks before the attack on Mr. Dandridge, Williams had been confronted by trespassers who threatened to shoot him and burn down his farm.

The judge said a pre-sentence report on Williams found the offending “was motivated by increased fear, excessive caution and a distorted perception of threat.”

David Elias KC, representing Williams, told the court his client’s reaction was “against the background of the previous horrific incident”.

Mr Elias said he was provided with an “unprecedented number” of character references in support of Williams, 500 of which were received by his office and others sent directly to the judge.

These included statements from Williams’ wife, Cath, who took over the license for his garden. Mr. Elias said the business would likely fail without Williams at the helm.

He said: “Evan Williams has worked all his life, building a business from scratch which has become so important to the wider community in the Vale of Glamorgan.

“He is a man who goes out of his way to help people and is well-liked by his staff, suppliers and local people in his community.

“If this business fails, it will have a much wider knock-on effect, not only to employment in that area, but to many other businesses in that area.”

During the trial Williams insisted he did not harm Mr Dandridge and claimed he was injured after being pulled over by his dog on rough terrain and falling into a drainage hole.

In a victim personal statement read to the court on Tuesday, Mr Dandridge described the lasting impact of the attack.

He said he was previously a “healthy individual” who enjoyed hobbies such as golf, DIY and metal detecting.

“Unfortunately, because of the attack and what happened afterwards, I don’t feel like the person I was before,” he said.

Mr Dandridge told the court he had permanent problems and pain in his left arm and hand with daily tasks such as opening jars and using tools.

He also stated that his mental health has been affected since the attack, experiencing anxiety, sleep disturbance and disturbing thoughts.

“There hasn’t been a day since the attack that I haven’t thought about this,” he added.

“The events of that day and their consequences deeply affected my life.”