Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott asked a child he is accused of sexually abusing whether it felt "nice", a court has heard.
Dott, 49, is accused of lewd and libidinous behaviour towards two primary school age children. The allegations span between 1993 and 1996 involving a girl, and 2006 to 2010 involving a boy, both in the Glasgow region.
He has pleaded not guilty to the two charges against him. Dott's trial at the High Court in Glasgow started on Tuesday, with the jury hearing evidence from one of his alleged victims, who gave evidence from behind a screen.
Alleged victim's testimony
The woman, who is now in her 40s, told the court Dott had sexually abused her on multiple separate occasions while she was a child.
She said the first had happened when he had offered to give her a piggy back, which she said had involved her climbing on his back and wrapping her arms and legs around the front of his body.
After walking a short distance, she said they stopped for a "couple of minutes". She told the court: "He started to caress my backside with his hands," explaining he had his hands over her clothing. "I remember it was odd to me. I think he said, 'does that feel nice', or something to that (effect)."
Alleged 'guessing game'
The woman alleged that on another occasion Dott approached her and said to her: "We could play a game." After agreeing, the woman said he told her "it would be a guessing game, and I had to guess what he was doing."
She said she lay down and he pulled her trousers down and lifted her top, and kissed her on the belly.
Responding to questions from prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel, she told the court he exposed himself to her and then began touching her with different parts of his body, including his penis. She explained: "He would touch me with his hand, and said that's my hand. Now you know what that feels like. Then he kissed me and I knew what that felt like."
She said the game was that she had to guess what he was doing. She said Dott had played the game with her "more than once".
Trial continues
Dott was present in court and dressed in a dark suit. The trial, before judge Lord Harrower, continues and is expected to last up to five days.
After being charged in April 2025, Dott was suspended by snooker's governing body.
At a virtual hearing at the High Court in Glasgow in August 2025, Dott's defence said the charges were fabricated. Defending, Euan Dow said: "He pleads not guilty to two charges on the indictment. The position of the accused is that the allegations are fabricated and there is no truth in any of them."
Dott became the world snooker champion in 2006 after beating Peter Ebdon in the final at the Crucible Theatre. He has twice finished as runner-up in the tournament, losing to Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2004 and Neil Robertson in 2010.
