Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been found guilty of child sexual abuse following the Graeme Dott child abuse conviction at the High Court in Glasgow, with the sport’s governing body moving swiftly to strip him of his membership.
Dott, 49, denied two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour towards a girl and a boy. The Al Jazeera reported the charges covered lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour against a girl between 1993 and 1996 and a boy between 2006 and 2010. A jury returned its verdict after a five-day trial.
WPBSA revokes Dott’s membership
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association permanently revoked Dott’s membership with immediate effect following the verdict, according to BBC News. The move ends his formal standing within the professional game.
Dott covered his face with his hands and shook his head as the verdict was delivered. He had previously described the allegations against him as “disgusting” and told the trial the claims were false, saying he had “never acted inappropriately with anyone”.
Lord Harrower told Dott he would be sentenced at a separate hearing in Edinburgh on 29 September. Dott was taken into custody until then. Lord Harrower was told a victim impact statement had been provided for him to consider before sentencing.
What the court heard
During the trial, jurors heard that Dott had exposed himself and inappropriately touched a primary school girl during the 1990s. The girl, now a woman in her 40s, told the court Dott would kiss her, touch her inappropriately and carried out a sexual act that would, if committed now, amount to rape.
She described how Dott had “caressed” her bottom while giving her a piggyback. On another occasion, he exposed himself to her. She also said he suggested she “take her trousers down” and lifted her top, beginning to kiss her stomach after asking if she wanted to “play a guessing game”. She recalled the “smell” of creams Dott used for a skin condition and said his actions left her “shocked and scared”. The court heard Dott bought her a teddy bear with a love heart on it during the course of the abuse.
Police had contacted Dott about allegations involving the girl in 2001, but no charges were brought at that time. The woman gave a new statement to police in 2025.
The boy, now a man in his 20s, told the court his abuse began not long after Dott won the World Snooker Championship in 2006. He said he was about eight years old when Dott molested him in a shower at a home in South Lanarkshire. He described being abused in a car on a number of occasions and “inappropriately touched” while Dott played online poker.
The boy said Dott “rewarded” him with crisps and fizzy drinks and once handed him a £50 note, only to accuse him of stealing it when his parents discovered he had the money.
Lewd and libidinous practices cover sexual crimes against children committed before 1 December 2010. The offence was abolished in 2009 but continues to apply to crimes carried out before that date.
Det Insp Gary Smillie, of Police Scotland, described Dott as a “dangerous individual” following the verdict. He said: “I hope this conviction provides some measure of comfort to those impacted by his crimes. His conviction is as a direct result of their strength in coming forward and providing information which assisted our inquiries.”
Dott won the World Snooker Championship in 2006, defeating Peter Ebdon at The Crucible in Sheffield. Sentencing is set for 29 September in Edinburgh.
