A top Grand National trainer is facing jail for violently attacking a dog walker with a hockey stick after mistaking him for a poacher.
Evan Williams, 54, thought he had discovered people lamping – hunting for rabbits and foxes at night on private land.
But the man in his field was 72-year-old Martin Dandridge who was wearing a head torch while walking his pet cockerpoo on a lead.
Mr Dandridge told a jury he thought he was going to die when the well-known trainer came at him with the hockey stick.
The pensioner suffered a broken arm and serious bruising in the assault in December 2024.
Mr Dandridge and his wife were staying in a rented cottage next to Williams’s racing stables in the village of Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, at the time.
He had taken the cockerpoo called Gulliver out for a walk when he saw the lights of Williams’ 4X4 coming towards him.
Prosecutor William Bebb told Cardiff Crown Court: ‘He saw an individual getting out of the vehicle and charging towards him, asking: “Who are you and what are you doing?”
Evan Williams (pictured), 54, thought he had discovered people lamping – hunting for rabbits and foxes at night on private land
Williams was shouting and swearing as Mr Dandridge said he was living in a cottage next to the paddock, the court heard. He is pictured here outside court
‘Evan Williams was carrying a hockey stick and he began raining blows down on Mr Dandridge. The blows were significant.
‘Williams was shouting and swearing as Mr Dandridge said he was living in a cottage next to the paddock.
‘He was not a lamper or a poacher or a criminal at all but a man innocently walking his dog.’
Mr Dandridge told the court: ‘I thought I’m going to die here and there’s nothing I can do. It was strange, It was a peaceful moment.
‘The next thing I remember was the hockey stock coming down on me with force and I blocked it with my arm, just below my elbow.
‘It was excruciatingly painful. I was thinking: ‘When is this going to stop?’
‘It was a solid hit. It lasted 60 seconds but it felt like it was going to go on forever.’
Two rural police officers arrived at the scene and heard a ‘thudding sound’ as Mr Dandridge was being struck.
Williams has several horses running in this week’s Cheltenham Festival including one called Libbert Hunter. He is pictured here on his farm near Llancarfan in the Vale of Glamorgan
Well-known jockey Conor Ring who had gone with Williams in his 4X4 ended the alleged assault saying: ‘That’s enough.’
Jurors were shown photographs of Mr Dandridge’s bruises and arm which was broken in two places.
Williams who has several horses running in this week’s Cheltenham Festival including one called Libbert Hunter, claimed Mr Dandridge was injured when his dog pulled him into a drainage ditch.
A jury took an hour and 45 minutes to find him guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
David Elias, defending, said his client knew he was at risk of losing his liberty when he is sentenced on April 14. He was granted bail.
Williams had horses in five consecutive Grand Nationals between 2009 and 2013 and won the 2020 Welsh Grand National with The Secret Reprieve.