Horse racing trainer 'filled with rage' during dog walker assault, court hears

A Welsh Grand National winning trainer was "filled with rage" before assaulting a dog walker on his land, a court has heard.

Richard Evan Rhys Williams, known as Evan Williams, 54, is accused of repeatedly striking Martin Dandridge with a hockey stick during the alleged night-time assault in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, in December 2024.

Cross-examining the defendant, prosecutor William Bebb suggested that Williams had a background with lampers, who use lights to find animals like rabbits and foxes, that made him want to "teach them a lesson".

Williams denies a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and an alternative charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Dandridge, 72, from Swindon, suffered injuries including a fractured arm during the incident.

The court previously heard he was staying at a holiday cottage near to Williams's racehorse training centre, and had taken his cockerpoo Gulliver for a walk in a paddock that was part of the stables using a torch as it was dark.

On Thursday Williams said his property has had past incidents of fly-grazing - where animals are left on land without permission - as well as hare coursing and poaching.

The jury heard Williams's family spotted the lights on their land and believed Dandridge was lamping.

Williams told the court he did not injure Dandridge and maintained he was hurt after being pulled over on the rough terrain as his dog was out of control, and had fallen into a drainage hole.

He told the court that Dandridge's "lack of control of his dog caused his injury".

"I am not exaggerating that terrain. It is only a hazard if you are not aware of the gallops and what they're used for," Williams told Cardiff Crown Court on Friday.

"Unfortunately we found that they can be treacherous if you're the wrong person, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, doing the wrong type of thing."

Williams denied carrying a hockey stick and said he had a lead rein, which he had taken out of his truck to assist with the dog.

He said he had stopped the potential for "more damage" to occur to Dandridge if he had not acted the way he did.

During the cross-examination, the prosecution suggested to Williams his account was "nonsense" and that he was "filled with rage" due to his background with lampers.

"I suggest that you began to swing down with that hockey stick with some force," he said.

"Whether a broken bone or a wound, you wanted to teach those lampers a lesson. I suggest you struck him repeatedly, swearing and shouting as you did.

"You swung that hockey stick with such force it connected with his arm and that blow broke his arm."

Williams replied: "No. I disagree."

Bebb said Williams "didn't even register" that Dandridge was pleading to him that he was a dog walker.

"Such was the single-mindedness of you, not waiting for the police, passing onto the gallops.

"He was telling you, 'stop, stop, stop'. You were shouting and swearing at him and telling him he was trespassing," he added.

In response, Williams said he did not have a hockey stick, and did not cause any injuries to Dandridge, adding: "There was no strike from me."

Bebb also asked Williams if he thought that "on your land, it was your law".

He responded: "No sir."

The trial continues.