Grand National trainer beat pensioner with hockey stick, court told

A Grand National horse trainer beat a pensioner with a hockey stick because he wrongly believed he was a poacher on his land, a court has heard.

Richard Evan Rhys Williams, known as Evan Williams, 54, denies causing grievous bodily harm with intent and an alternative charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm on 72-year-old Martin Dandridge on 4 December 2024 in Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Williams intended to cause severe harm to Dandridge, who was renting a holiday cottage near Williams' horse training facility.

Dandridge, who had been walking his daughter's dog, denied a suggestion by Williams' defence lawyer that he broke his arm falling into a ditch.

Prosecutor William Bebb said: "It was a dark night and Mr Dandridge went to walk the dog before going to bed - at around 9.30pm with a head torch and the dog also had a light attached to his collar."

As they walked near the paddock and gallops of Evan Williams Racing, their lights "drew the attention of Mr Williams", Bebb said.

"Two policemen were also nearby and on duty that night monitoring rural crime such as lamping and poaching.

"Mr Williams drove up to the police in his 4x4 and said to the officers 'they are lamping in my field and we're going to challenge them'".

The police followed Williams, Bebb told the court.

He said Dandridge saw a man get out of a vehicle, "carrying a weapon which was a hockey stick".

The court heard Williams had asked Dandridge "what are you doing in my field with a lamp and a dog?"

Bebb told the jury: "Mr Williams rained down blows from the hockey stick on Mr Dandridge."

He was hit several times including on the chest, leg, arm and face, the jury was told.

"This was a man out walking his dog and now being assaulted with a hockey stick," Bebb said.

Dandridge was trying to explain he was staying in a holiday cottage, but this did not register with the defendant, the prosecution said.

Connor Ring, a jockey and Williams' daughter's partner, was also present and tried to move Williams away, the court heard.

Dandridge, from Swindon, Wiltshire, was taken to Princess of Wales Hospital, where an X-ray revealed two fractured bones in his arm.

After being arrested and interviewed by police the next day, Williams denied assaulting Dandridge with a hockey stick.

He said the injuries Dandridge sustained were caused when his dog pulled him into a drainage ditch, with a drop of 3ft (1m).

He denied having a hockey stick and said he was carrying a rope, which he used to guide horses and was planning on using on the dog if he was loose, the court heard.

Bebb told jurors: "This was a deliberate attack with a hockey stick."

Dandridge told the court he and his wife had been staying at the Gallops holiday cottage for three weeks before the attack, which happened three days before his 71st birthday.

He told the court: "We were looking after my daughter's dog after she had a baby, and I walked Gulliver every morning and every night, usually near the horse racing stables.

"It was a nasty night weather-wise and I walked into the paddock and let Gulliver have a sniff around.

"He was on an extendable lead, and I saw lights come towards me from a vehicle which parked in the paddocks.

"A man approached me shouting and sounding angry and was carrying an object -when he got closer, I realised it was a hockey stick."

Dandridge told the court Williams was "holding the hockey stick in both hands".

Bebb asked: "How would you describe how he was swinging the hockey stick?"

"Violently because of the speed and impact," Dandridge replied.

"He struck me on my back first and it was painful.

"He then hit me on my right thigh and I dropped to the floor

"I said I was staying in the cottage and walking my dog but he continued to hit me. I started saying 'stop, stop' because there was very little I could do.

"I was on my knees with the dog lead in one hand.

"I thought 'I'm going to die here and there's nothing I can do.'"

He described the attack lasting 60 seconds, but said it felt like it was going on forever.

He said when police officers arrived they told him to lay on the ground.

"I was confused why was I being detained when my attacker was a few feet away," he said.

"The officers took me to the cottage and my wife asked what had happened because she could see what condition I was in.

"An officer said 'he was trespassing', and my wife said 'is this what you do to trespassers?'."

Defending, David Elias KC referred to a picture of Dandridge's head injuries.

"You say this injury was caused by a hockey stick," Elias said.

"But this injury happened when you were falling and stumbling on the rocky ground at the paddock, didn't it?"

Dandridge denied he fell into a drainage ditch, when this was suggested by Elias.

"No it was from blows, not from falling over," Dandridge said.

The trial continues.