Former snooker world champion Graeme Dott has been found guilty of sexually abusing two primary school age children. The 49-year-old subjected a girl and a boy to multiple incidents of historic abuse.
A five-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow heard Dott exposed himself in front of both children, touched them inappropriately, and kissed them.
Guilty verdicts
On Monday (24 August), he was found guilty of two counts of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour towards them.
Giving evidence last week, Dott had said there was “absolutely no way” he sexually abused the two children. Under cross-examination by prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel, Dott denied being attracted to the girl when she was young, calling the idea “disgusting”.
When Ms Dalziel put it to Dott that he touched the first victim and told her what to do, he denied the allegation and called it “lies”. Speaking about the second victim, Dott said he was “never in my company” and denied all allegations of abuse.
Prosecution and defence
In her closing speech on Friday, Ms Dalziel called on the jury to find Dott guilty of both charges. She said: “The Crown’s case is that Graeme Dott subjected vulnerable children to the worst kind of abuse with a course of conduct which relied on opportunity, for his own gratification.”
Dott’s lawyer, Euan Dow, had invited jurors to clear his client of both charges. But Dott was found guilty on Monday following the trial which began on August 18, with the verdicts by majority.
Sentencing deferred
Judge Lord Harrower told him: “You have been convicted of charges involving sexual abuse of young children. I will refrain from passing comment further on any of these offences until I receive a background report from a social worker as I must in order to consider the full range of sentences open to me.
“You must register your name and address with the police so your name can be added to the sex offenders register.”
He deferred sentence until September 29 at the High Court in Edinburgh. The 49-year-old was remanded in custody.
