Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott found guilty of child sex abuse charges against two children

Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been jailed for seven years after being found guilty of sexually abusing two children.

The 49-year-old predator was convicted of preying on a girl and a boy, then effectively trying to buy their silence with gifts or money.

Dott had denied the allegations, branding them “nonsense” and “lies”.

But in August, jurors found him guilty of two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour spanning between 1993 and 2010.

Dott had been on bail for the trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, but was remanded in custody by Lord Harrower.

On Tuesday, he was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Judge Lord Harrower told Dott that his behaviour towards the children was “a gross violation of trust” and that his behaviour toward the female victim would now be classed as rape.

‘The worst kinds of abuse’

Prosecutors told the trial how Dott “subjected children to the worst kinds of abuse for his own gratification”.

The then girl – now in her 40s – told how he first molested her when she was nine or ten at a house in the city’s East End.

She had initially been in a room with other youngsters when Dott came in.

The witness recalled wanting to go downstairs, and Dott suggested he would give her a piggy-back or “coaksey”.

The woman told the trial: “He carried me down, and we got to the bottom of the landing.

“There was a hall window that looked out onto the street. He stopped. He started caressing my backside with his hands.”

Graeme Dott will be sentenced in September Police Scotland

This was said to have lasted “maybe a couple of minutes”.

Prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel asked the woman: “Do you remember any reaction or saying anything?”

The witness said: “I remember it was odd to me. I think he said ‘does that feel nice’ or something.”

The woman said this sort of incident had happened around seven times.

She also recalled Dott preying upon her after he asked if she wanted to play a “guessing game”.

This ended up with him suggesting she take her trousers off before he also lifted up her top and started kissing her stomach.

Dott warned a boy to stay out of the room and became “quite angry” when this youngster walked in at one stage.

The woman spoke of further inappropriate touching, Dott exposing himself, and also carrying out a sexual act, if committed now, would amount to rape.

Dott would kiss her, leaving the then youngster with memories of a “smell” from him due to the creams Dott used for a skin condition.

Jurors heard he once bought her a teddy bear with a love heart amid the abuse.

Describing how Dott made her feel, the witness said she was “shocked and scared”.

This victim told no one until she confided in a friend as a teenager. Other people then learned what happened.

She denied in court a claim from Dott’s lawyer that she told someone at that time how she would “take it to the newspapers and make a lot of money”

Dott – by this stage a successful snooker player – was first investigated by police in 2001, but no charges were brought.

He was free then to target the boy shortly after winning the world title at the Crucible in Sheffield in May 2006.

This victim – now in his 20s – said he was around eight when it began.

He first spoke about a “shower incident” where Dott molested him. This went on to occur around seven times at a house in Lanarkshire.

The man said: “I was so naive and innocent, I did not know what was happening.”

He said Dott would raise his voice to ensure the then youngster “complied”.

The witness described attacks on him as “opportunistic”.

The trial heard Dott would buy him things such as Thai chilli crisps and Irn Bru, which he can no longer eat to this day.

The wealthy snooker player also once gave the child a £50 note – then accused him of stealing it when the victim’s parents found out about the money.

The man told jurors the lead-up to being given the cash was “sexually motivated” and that it was a “reward strategy” for what had gone on.

Dott was also repeatedly inappropriate with him in a room while he played online poker games.

Other incidents occurred in a car after he parked up in an area “out of the public eye”. This happened approximately five times.

Asked about any further recollections, the witness stated that anything related to Dove soap gives him PTSD “flashbacks” as Dott used it for a skin condition.

Dott faced a fresh investigation in 2024. He was later suspended by snooker’s governing body prior to the case first calling at the High Court last year.

He testified himself at the trial and denied all accusations.

Dott described the then-girl’s claims as “disgusting”. He also insisted he had never been alone with the boy.

Dott: “I have never acted inappropriately with anyone.”