Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been jailed for seven years after sexually abusing two children. The 49-year-old appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday, September 29. He was sentenced after being found guilty of the offences at the same court last month.
Historic charges span two decades
The historic charges span between 1993 and 1996 involving a girl, and 2006 to 2010 involving a boy, both of primary school age in the Glasgow region. Dott had denied the two charges against him, claiming the allegations were fabricated, and testified there was "absolutely no way" the events happened.
The trial heard how Dott exposed himself in front of both children, touched them inappropriately, and kissed them.
Victims' testimony in court
Jurors heard from one of Dott's victims, a woman now in her 40s, who told the court Dott had sexually abused her on multiple separate occasions while she was a child. The victim said the abuse had started with Dott "caressing" her bottom over her clothing while giving her a piggyback. The woman also described an occasion when she said Dott suggested playing a "guessing game" where she had to guess what he was doing.
She told the court she lay down and he exposed himself to her and then began touching her with different parts of his body, including his penis. The woman told the court that Dott told her not to tell anyone he was sexually abusing her.
The second victim, a man who is now in his late 20s, said he was sexually abused by Dott on multiple occasions, with the snooker player touching him inappropriately, kissing him, and performing sexual acts. He told the court a lot 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 at it now, Dott was "clearly getting sexual gratification from it", and he was "pleasuring himself" while the sickening scene took place.
The witness also described abuse which took place in a car, where he said Dott would kiss him on the face, head and lips, and "push himself up against me".
Career and aftermath
Dott, who turned professional in 1994, won the World Snooker Championship in 2006, defeating Peter Ebdon in the final at the Crucible in Sheffield. He reached the final in two other years but was beaten by Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2004 and Neil Robertson in 2010.
Following his conviction, Dott's name was removed from World Snooker's Hall of Fame.
