Disgraced snooker professional Graeme Dott has been moved to a different part of jail while in custody for his own safety after receiving threats from other inmates.
Dott, 49, was sentenced to seven years in prison today after being found guilty of molesting two children at the High Court in Glasgow. He was convicted following a trial at the same court last month.
Threats in prison
While in custody awaiting sentencing, Dott had already become the subject of threats in prison. BBC Scotland reported that the former player was moved to a different part of the jail as a result of becoming “a target within the custodial establishment”.
The female victim was nine at the time of Dott's first offence, when he was 16. The boy was eight when he was first targeted by Dott, who was 28 by then.
Offences spanning years
The historic charges span between 1993 and 1996 involving the girl, and 2006 to 2010 involving the boy, in the Glasgow region. Dott denied both charges, claiming the allegations were fabricated, and testified there was “absolutely no way” the events happened.
During the trial, jurors heard how Dott exposed himself in front of both children, touched them inappropriately, and kissed them. The female victim, now in her 40s, told the court Dott had sexually abused her on multiple separate occasions while she was a child.
Victims' testimony
The woman said the abuse began with Dott “caressing” her bottom over her clothing while giving her a piggyback. She also described an occasion when Dott suggested playing a “guessing game” where she had to guess what he was doing. She lay down and he exposed himself to her, then began touching her with different parts of his body, including his penis. Dott told her not to tell anyone he was sexually abusing her.
The second victim, a man now in his late 20s, said Dott sexually abused him on multiple occasions, touching him inappropriately, kissing him, and performing sexual acts. Much of the abuse took place while he was in a shower, when Dott would come in either partly or completely undressed.
The man said: “He would… come into the shower and put soap on my body and wash me in the shower. While he was washing me he would touch me in inappropriate places.” He said looking back, Dott was “clearly getting sexual gratification from it” and was “pleasuring himself” during the incidents.
The witness also described abuse in a car, where Dott would kiss him on the face, head and lips, and “push himself up against me”. Prosecutors from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) told the court Dott coerced the children into keeping quiet, telling one victim no one would believe her and giving another a £50 note after one incident.
Sentencing and consequences
Handing down sentence, Lord Harrower said Dott's actions bore “the hallmarks of grooming”. Referring to the girl as Jane and the boy as Kevin, both pseudonyms, he said: “In both cases the abuse included penetrative sexual activity and in the case of Jane behaviour that would now be classed as rape.” He added: “Your behaviour bore the hallmarks of grooming.”
Lord Harrower noted that while the offending against Jane happened when Dott was still a child aged around 16 or 17, the offences against Kevin took place while Dott was an adult. He said: “You robbed the complainers of a significant part of their childhood.”
Following his conviction, Dott's name was removed from World Snooker's Hall of Fame. Procurator Fiscal Faye Cook of COPFS said: “Graeme Dott achieved success and public admiration but, in private, he exploited the trust of two children to abuse and coerce them. Dott’s criminal behaviour has been his downfall and he now faces the consequences of his actions.
“At the heart of his offending are victims who were harmed when very young and we are grateful that they felt able to report their experiences. COPFS recognises it can be difficult to report non-recent offending, perhaps even more so by figures who have authority or profile. But we will take all reports seriously, we will listen and we will prosecute robustly wherever possible. Justice has no time limit.”
