Grand National Trainer Evan Williams Sentenced to Three Years for Assault on Dog Walker

A prominent horse racing trainer has been sentenced to three years in prison after a court found him guilty of a brutal assault on a dog walker at his training facility in Wales.

Richard Evan Rhys Williams, known as Evan Williams, 54, was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after attacking Martin Dandridge with a hockey stick at his racehorse training centre in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan. The assault occurred in December 2024 and left Dandridge with a broken arm.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Dandridge, 72, was staying at a holiday cottage near Williams's property and was walking his cockerpoo, Gulliver, in a paddock that was part of the training stables. It was dark, so Dandridge used a torch. Williams's family spotted the lights and believed Dandridge was engaged in lamping — using bright lights to locate animals such as rabbits and foxes, often with a dog.

Williams drove to the paddock, passing two police officers on the way and telling them: "There are lampers on my gallops, they are there now." When he arrived, he approached Dandridge and shouted at him to put out his light, claiming it could upset his horses.

Dandridge told the court he was on his knees with his dog's lead in one hand when Williams began striking him. "I thought, I am going to die here and there is nothing I can do," he said. The attack lasted approximately 60 seconds.

Prosecutor William Bebb told the court Williams was "filled with rage" and had wanted to "teach those lampers a lesson." The court had previously heard that Williams had experienced problems with poachers on his land, including an incident six weeks before the assault where he was threatened with a shotgun and told his house would be burned down.

Sentencing Williams, Recorder Angharad Price described the offence as "appalling" but acknowledged his heightened fear following the earlier confrontation. "This is never acceptable to take the law into your own hands," she said.

Williams established Evan Williams Racing in 2003 and became one of Wales's most successful trainers. He achieved top-four finishes in five consecutive Grand Nationals at Aintree between 2009 and 2013 and trained Secret Reprieve, winner of the 2020 Welsh Grand National at Chepstow. His business employs around 30 people and is described as the biggest rural employer in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Following his conviction, his wife took over his racing licence and continues to operate the business, though his defence team indicated the operation would not be viable once her licence expires.