Grand National trainer who beat pensioner with hockey stick jailed for 3 years

A champion horse trainer who hit a pensioner with a hockey stick has today been jailed for three years.

Richard Williams,55,also known as Evan,repeatedly hit Martin Dandridge,72,after seeing him walking his dog on his land in Llancarfan,Vale of Glamorgan.

He denied grievous bodily harm with intent but was found guilty at Cardiff Crown Court in March after just 90 minutes of deliberation.

Mr Dandridge and his wife had been staying at a holiday cottage near Williams’ training centre to be close to their daughter,who had recently given birth.

On the night of December 4,2024,he took his cockapoo,Gulliver,for a walk in a paddock that was part of the stables. As it was dark,both he and Gulliver were wearing torches.

Sign up for all of the latest stories

Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.Williams spotted them and,following an incident with poachers six weeks earlier,suspected someone was lamping on his land.Armed with a hockey stick,he confronted Mr Dandridge,hitting him with such force that he fractured his arm.Cardiff Crown Court heard Williams had previously had issues with poachers on his land (Picture: PA)Williams was jailed for three years after denying GBH with intent (Picture: PA)At trial,Williams insisted that he did not injure Mr Dandridge and said his injuries were as a result of being pulled on rough terrain by his dog and falling into a drainage hole.Describing the impact,Mr Dandrige said he had previously enjoyed golf,DIY and metal detecting,but now struggles with everyday tasks due to ongoing problems with his left arm.He added: ‘Sadly,because of the assault what has followed,I don’t feel like the same person I was before.‘There has not been a single day since the assault that I have not thought about it.’Recorder Angharad Price told Williams that he had a ‘choice’ on that day: to confront Mr Dandridge or wait for police to attend.She said: ‘You talked very passionately of your champion racehorses and their security,you talked of protecting them from harm. You also talked about protecting your family from harm. However,that protection should not have come at Mr Dandridge’s cost.’Jailing him,she added: ‘This sentence will be a lesson to you that it is always better to call the police if you think a crime is being committed.’Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at .