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

EDINBURGH: Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing two children.

The 49-year-old was found guilty in August, following a five-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow, of two counts of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour involving a girl and a boy. The offences occurred between 1993 and 1996 in the case of the girl and between 2006 and 2010 in the case of the boy.

Dott appeared before the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday for sentencing. Judge Lord Harrower said the offences represented a serious violation of trust and had deprived the victims of a significant part of their childhoods. The judge also said the conduct bore the hallmarks of grooming.

The court heard that Dott had exposed himself to both children and subjected them to inappropriate sexual contact. Dott denied the allegations and has continued to maintain his innocence.

The seven-year sentence was backdated, and Dott was remanded in custody. His name has also been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Dott turned professional in 1994 and won the World Snooker Championship in 2006, defeating Peter Ebdon in the final at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. He was also a runner-up in the championship in 2004 and 2010. Following his conviction, his name was removed from the World Snooker Hall of Fame.

The case involved historical offences spanning more than a decade, with Police Scotland confirming that the incidents occurred between 1993 and 2010.