Former World Snooker Champion Graeme Dott Sentenced to Seven Years for Historical Child Sexual Abuse

Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been handed a seven-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexually abusing two children over a period spanning nearly two decades, a case that has shocked the sporting world and underscored the long reach of historical abuse prosecutions.

The 49-year-old Scottish sportsman, who claimed the sport's most prestigious title in 2006, was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh after a jury found him guilty of two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour involving a girl and a boy. The offences took place between 1993 and 2010, according to court proceedings.

Judge Lord Harrower delivered a damning assessment of Dott's conduct, telling the court that the former champion had deprived his victims of "a significant part of their childhood." The judge emphasised that Dott's actions displayed clear indicators of grooming, a pattern of behaviour in which an abuser manipulates and prepares a child for abuse over time.

The court heard that Dott was only 16 or 17 years old when he began abusing the first victim, a girl who was approximately nine years old when the abuse started. His abuse of the second victim, a boy aged around eight, commenced roughly a decade later, demonstrating a sustained pattern of predatory behaviour across many years.

According to testimony presented during the trial, Dott employed manipulative tactics to ensure his victims' silence. He rewarded them with treats and framed the abuse as part of a game, blurring the boundaries between play and exploitation. The court was told that he explicitly warned both children they would not be believed if they ever disclosed what had happened to them, a common tactic used by abusers to maintain control over their victims.

Lord Harrower noted that both victims were vulnerable for reasons extending beyond their young age. He described how the abuse had produced "overwhelming emotions of fear, shame and anger" in the children, with lasting consequences that affected their mental health well into adulthood. The judge characterised Dott's behaviour as involving "a gross violation of trust."

As the judge addressed him in court, Dott repeatedly shook his head in apparent disbelief. The former snooker star showed no visible emotion when the sentence was announced, only nodding toward someone in the public gallery before being led away by security officers.

The court also learned that social work reports had assessed Dott as posing a "below average risk of reoffending." However, because Dott continues to maintain his innocence, Lord Harrower stated he was unable to take any expression of remorse into account when determining the sentence.

Defence solicitor Euan Dow informed the court that Dott, a father of two, is now separated from his wife but continues to receive support from family and friends. Dow added that his client suffers from "long-standing mental health issues" and that both his personal and professional reputations have been destroyed as a result of the convictions.

The court heard that Dott has already faced threats while in custody, necessitating a move to a different prison facility for his own safety. His seven-year sentence has been backdated to 24 August, the date he was remanded in custody following his conviction. Upon his eventual release, Dott will remain on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

During the trial, prosecutors detailed the specific nature of the abuse. The court heard that Dott had exposed himself to and inappropriately touched a primary school-aged girl during the 1990s, and had attacked a young boy between 2006 and 2010. The female victim, now a woman in her forties, testified that Dott had "caressed" her bottom while giving her a piggyback ride and had exposed himself to her on a separate occasion.

She further described an incident in which Dott suggested she "take her trousers down" and lifted her top, kissing her stomach after asking if she wanted to "play a guessing game." The woman told the court that Dott would kiss her, touch her inappropriately, and performed a sexual act that would constitute rape under current legal definitions. She recounted recalling the "smell" of creams he used for a skin condition after he kissed her, and stated his actions left her feeling "shocked and scared." The court also heard that Dott bought her a teddy bear with a love heart on it during the period of abuse.

Significantly, the case highlighted failures in earlier investigations. Police had previously contacted Dott regarding the allegations in 2001, but no charges were brought at that time. It was not until 2025, when the female victim provided a new statement to police, that the case progressed to prosecution.

Procurator Fiscal Faye Cook, speaking on behalf of the Crown Office, condemned Dott's actions, stating that he had "achieved success and public admiration but, in private, he exploited the trust of two children to abuse and coerce them." She added that his "criminal behaviour has been his downfall and he now faces the consequences of his actions." Cook also stressed that "justice has no time limit," encouraging other victims of historical abuse to come forward and report their experiences, regardless of how much time has passed.

Dott had denied the allegations throughout the legal process, at one point describing them as "disgusting." His conviction followed a trial at the High Court in Glasgow in August, and his sentencing represents the culmination of a lengthy legal process that has brought a dark chapter in British sporting history to a close while offering some measure of accountability to his victims.