TRAINER Evan Williams could be jailed after being found guilty of assaulting a dog walker who was on his property late at night.
Williams, 54, repeatedly hit Martin Dandridge, 72, with a hockey stick during the nighttime assault.
Mr Dandridge, from Swindon, Wiltshire, suffered injuries including a fractured arm in the accident on December 4, 2024, on Williams’ land at Llancarfan in the South Wales Vale of Glamorgan.
A jury at Cardiff Crown Court took just 90 minutes to find Williams, who was due to play at the Cheltenham Festival this week, guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Defense lawyer David Elias KC asked for the sentencing hearing to be adjourned for reports and to give Williams time to make alternative arrangements for his racing business if he is jailed.
“In the circumstances of this case, bearing in mind that he is 54 years old and has thus far been of good character, we will ask the court to adjourn the pre-sentence report so that the court can learn everything it needs to know about Williams,” Elias said.
“As I have indicated, Mr Williams knows he is at serious risk of losing his freedom and is requesting his bail be extended.
He continued, “I have a condition that I will not contact the complainant in the case directly or indirectly, and so far, there have been no difficulties due to that.
“He has his own business and he will have to consider how that will be handled, bearing in mind the risk of losing his freedom.
“He wants to have time to prepare in case he loses his freedom before sentencing if the court orders a pre-sentence report.
“Indeed, he has very pressing commitments in the world of racing this week, which he would like to fulfill if possible.”
Recorder Angharad Price continued Williams’ conditional bail and said he would sentence him on April 14 after preparing a report.
“We will adjourn until April 14 and until then bail will be extended to the same conditions,” she said.
“During that time you will be contacted by probation to help you prepare your report and it is very important that you work with them.”
The court heard Dandridge was staying at a holiday home near Williams’ racehorse training centre.
Mr. Dandridge took Gulliver the cockerel for a walk in the paddock that was part of the stables, and because it was dark, he was using a torch.
The court heard that in the past, there have been fly-grazing incidents on Williams’ property, including animals being left on land without permission, and there have also been incidents of rabbit chasing and poaching.
His family discovered the lights on their land and believed Mr Dandridge was lighting the lamp at a time when people, often with dogs, used bright lights to find animals such as rabbits and foxes.
Williams insisted in court that he did not injure Mr Dandridge, but was injured after he was dragged over rough terrain by a dog he had no control over and fell into a drain.
The father-of-three said: “If we hadn’t behaved the way we did, Mr Dandridge would have hit his head and died seriously.”
William Bebb, prosecuting, asked the defendant if he was a hero and the defendant replied: “I’m not a hero.
“I just want to tell you that Mr. Dandridge suffered injuries because he was not able to properly control his dog.”
Mr Bebb suggested Williams’ account of the out-of-control dog was “nonsense”.
“You were filled with anger because of the nature of your background as a lamper,” he said.
“Whether it’s a broken bone or an injury, you want to teach that lamper a lesson. You better keep hitting him and swearing and yelling at him like you did too.”
