The former professional snooker player Graeme Dott has been sentenced to seven years in prison after a Scottish court found him guilty of sexually abusing two children. The sentence was handed down at the High Court in Edinburgh by Lord Harrower after Dott, the 2006 world champion, was convicted earlier this year.
Verdict and sentence
Dott, who is 49, was convicted at a five-day trial at Glasgow High Court in August. He was found guilty by a majority verdict of two counts of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour involving a girl and a boy. He denied the charges during the proceedings.
Lord Harrower said the offences represented a "gross violation of trust" and imposed a backdated custodial term. In sentencing, the judge said Dott had “robbed the complainers of a significant part of their childhood”.
He had “robbed the complainers of a significant part of their childhood”.
Nature and timing of the offences
The court heard that Dott targeted the girl on multiple occasions between 1993 and 1996. The woman, now in her 40s, gave evidence that the abuse began with Dott caressing her bottom over clothing while giving her piggyback rides and escalated to exposing himself and touching her with different parts of his body.
The second victim, a man now in his late 20s, told the court that the abuse occurred between 2006 and 2010. He said Dott touched him inappropriately, kissed him and performed sexual acts, including incidents in the shower when Dott would enter partly or completely undressed.
“While he was washing me he would touch me in inappropriate places,” the man told the court.
Impact and legal context
The judge emphasised the weight of the breach of trust involved in the offending. The victims described being unable to understand or challenge what was happening at the time because of their ages, only later recognising the interactions as abusive.
The convictions were returned by majority verdict, which means not all jurors found Dott guilty on the counts but a sufficient majority required under Scots law supported the verdict. The case was transferred to the High Court in Edinburgh for sentencing.
- Defendant: Graeme Dott, 49, former world snooker champion (2006)
- Convictions: Two counts of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour (majority verdict)
- Sentence: Seven years’ imprisonment, backdated
- Victims: Woman (abuse 1993–1996; now in her 40s); Man (abuse 2006–2010; now in his late 20s)
| Victim | Period of abuse | Description given at trial |
|---|---|---|
| Woman (now 40s) | 1993–1996 | Caressing over clothing, piggyback incidents, exposure, touching with parts of body including penis |
| Man (now late 20s) | 2006–2010 | Inappropriate touching, kisses, sexual acts; incidents in the shower where Dott washed him and touched him |
Public reaction and consequences
The case has attracted attention because of Dott’s profile as a former world champion in a sport with a high public profile. The court’s findings and the sentence reflect the gravity with which the Scottish justice system treats historic sexual offences against children, especially where a person in a position of trust is involved.
The victims’ evidence painted a picture of repeated offending over several years in both cases, and the judge’s comments highlighted the long-term harm the court found was inflicted. The legal outcome—conviction and a custodial term—brings to a close a criminal process that began with charges and culminated in trial and sentencing earlier this week.
No further information about appeals or other proceedings was reported in court reporting linked to the trial. The judgement and sentence underscore continuing public scrutiny of safeguarding and the responsibilities of adults who have access to children.
