Ex-jockey Levi Williams has been jailed for three years after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
Levi Williams Jailed For Three Years
Back in March 2025, Williams got involved in an altercation with Richard Wingrove on Newmarket High Street after drinking in a nearby pub.
Williams and a friend were in the same place as Wingrove and his son, but left and exchanged words. It escalated into a brawl that spilled out into the road near to the Golden Lion pub.
During the fight, the former jockey hit Wingrove in the chest. That caused the 71-year-old to lose balance and hit his head on the ground. Williams was found to be under the influence of cocaine as well as being drunk.
Peterborough Crown Court heard that the fall had caused the fatal head injury to Wingrove, who died 10 days after the incident.
Williams and his friend attempted to leave the area after the brawl, but a member of public stopped and restrained him.
Originally, Williams was charged with murder, but a plea of manslaughter was accepted last month.
Williams Had Issues With Drugs In The Past
It wasn’t easy sailing for Williams during his riding career. He was handed an 18-month suspension for testing positive for cocaine in May 2023 and was trying to rebuild his career again.
But it wasn’t the first time he had tested positive for drugs, it also happened in 2021.
Williams worked for the likes of Eve Johnson Houghton and John Best and rode 12 winners on the flat during his short-lived career in the saddle.
His first winner was in January 2019 and his last came at Chelmsford in February 2023.
The news of his three-year sentence comes as we approach both the Epsom Derby and Royal Ascot – a big month for the sport.
