A TOP Grand National horse trainer battered an elderly dogwalker with a hockey stick after mistaking him for a rural criminal, a court heard.
Richard Evan Rhys Williams, known as Evan Williams, 54, allegedly assaulted Martin Dandridge in the Vale of Glamorgan in December 2024.
Richard Evan Williams allegedly assaulted a dogwalkerCredit: Athena
The 72-year-old was left with a broken arm following the “frenzied” attack, jurors heard.
Martin had been staying at a holiday cottage near Evan Williams Racing when he took cockerpoo Gulliver out for a walk.
At the time, he was wearing a headtorch and had a light on the dog as it was dark in the fields.
Crown Court heard Williams spotted the lights and believed Martin was lamping, where people use bright lights to find animals such as rabbits and foxes, often with a dog.
The champion trainer set off in a 4×4 accompanied by jockey Conor Ring – passing two officers who were on a rural patrol nearby on the way.
Prosecuting, William Bebb said: “The defendant told the police officers there were lampers in the field and they were going to challenge them.
“He thought there were rural criminals trespassing on his land. Mr Dandridge noticed vehicles arriving at the entrance of the paddock.
“Mr Dandridge saw an individual get out of one of the vehicles and approach him aggressively, practically charging towards him, shouting words to the effect of ‘who are you and what are you doing?’
“Evan Williams was carrying with him a weapon, a hockey stick.”
The court heard Williams was “looking to impart his own justice on someone who he thought was trespassing on his land”.
He “began raining blows” on Martin, who was left in “complete shock” by the “frenzied” attack, jurors were told.
Mr Bebb said Martin told Williams he was staying at the cottage next to the paddock and walking his dog but “none of this registered”.
The trainer allegedly accused him of trespassing before swinging the hockey stick with “full force”.
Jurors heard one of the police officers saw Williams “strike Mr Dandridge with an object to his body, making a thudding sound”.
The other officer did not see any attack but noted that he was carrying a hockey stick, it was said.
Mr Bebb said: “The penny dropped that he wasn’t a criminal at all but a man innocently walking his dog in the area.”
Martin, from Swindon, , was taken to hospital by police and found to have a fracture to his left forearm, which was placed in a cast.
He made a formal complaint against Williams the following day and the trainer was arrested.
During police interview, Williams denied assaulting Martin and claimed he did not have a hockey stick.
He told officers there was drainage hole, measuring two to three feet deep, which he claimed Martin had fallen into after being pulled by his dog on a lead.
Mr Bebb said: “He denied assaulting him in any way and stated he believed he sustained his injuries by falling into the drainage.”
Williams denies a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and an alternative charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The successful horse trainer won the Welsh in 2020 with The Secret Reprieve.
He also had horses placed in five consecutive Grand Nationals between 2009 and 2013.
Williams, who has scooped more than £3million in prize money over the past five years, runs a training facility at his home.
The trial continues.
The champion trainer has denied assaultCredit: Alamy
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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