Former world snooker champion Dott guilty of child sex abuse

Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott, 49, was found guilty by a Glasgow High Court jury of lewd and libidinous behaviour toward a primary‑school girl in the 1990s and a young boy between 2006 and 2010. The verdict, delivered after a five‑day trial, concluded that Dott exposed himself, touched the girl’s bottom while giving her a piggy‑back, suggested she remove her trousers, and kissed her stomach, actions the victim described as amounting to rape if committed today. The boy, now in his twenties, testified that Dott molested him in a shower after Dott’s 2006 world‑title win, rewarded him with crisps, fizzy drinks and a £50 note, and later accused him of theft when his parents discovered the money; he also recounted abuse in a car and inappropriate contact while Dott played online poker. Dott denied the charges, calling the allegations “disgusting,” and covered his face in shock as the jury read the verdict.

The convictions stem from offences defined as “lewd and libidinous practices,” a legal category covering child sexual crimes committed before 1 December 2010; although the offence was abolished in 2009, it remains applicable to earlier conduct. Police had first approached Dott in 2001 about the allegations, but no charges were laid at that time. During the trial, the court heard vivid details of the abuse, including the girl’s recollection of the smell of Dott’s skin‑condition cream after a kiss and the gift of a teddy bear with a love heart, underscoring the manipulative grooming tactics employed. A victim impact statement from the woman will be considered by Lord Harrower before sentencing, which is scheduled for a separate hearing in Edinburgh on 29 September.

The guilty verdict marks a dramatic fall from grace for a player who captured the World Snooker Championship in 2006, and it raises broader concerns about safeguarding within professional sport. The case highlights how historic abuse can surface decades later, prompting renewed scrutiny of past police investigations that failed to result in prosecution. Sentencing will determine the length of Dott’s custodial term, while the victims’ testimonies may influence future policies on child protection and the handling of historic sexual‑abuse allegations in the sporting community.

⚡ Effects Interpreter