A survivor of a paedophile ring has warned that victims are still being failed after it emerged that snooker champion Graeme Dott was first reported to police 25 years before being convicted.
Fiona Seath, 28, from Fauldhouse, West Lothian, was abused as a child by a number of relatives, including cousin Serenity Johnston, formerly known as David. Her brother, who is not named for legal reasons, was convicted in September last year, and Johnston, 34, was convicted earlier this year. Two other attackers died before they could be brought to justice.
Seath, who has waived her right to anonymity, told how she tried to raise the alarm with a social worker and a teacher, but was not believed. She has now spoken out in the wake of Dott's conviction to demand more support for victims, after it was revealed in court that the former world snooker champion had been reported to police in 2001 but was not convicted until last week.
Missed opportunities
Seath said: "In my case, I told a social worker. I told a teacher, but it never went anywhere. So many of these historic cases involve people who have not been believed or were disregarded for years. Abusers are then allowed to walk free. We've got to make sure the lessons from the past are learned, so that can't happen again. With Graeme Dott it seems this is another case where there has been so many opportunities missed to stop him. I was always told growing up that children should be seen and not heard, but that can be very dangerous."
During Dott's trial, jurors heard that his first victim, a woman now in her 40s, was sexually abused by him on multiple occasions between 1993, when she was nine, and 1996. She eventually confided in a friend as a teenager before telling family members. On the advice of a guidance teacher at secondary school, she reported the abuse to police in 2001. But it was not until November 2024 – 23 years after her initial report – that officers arrived at her doorstep. The woman described their arrival as a "complete shock".
Dott was jailed last week for seven years after being found guilty of two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour towards a girl and a boy between 1993 and 2010 at the High Court in Glasgow.
Call for accountability
Seath said that, in her case, she believes some of her teachers appeared to recognise that something was wrong. While she welcomes perpetrators of historic abuse finally being brought to justice, she has called for others in authority who failed to act to be held to account. She added: "I had a few teachers whom I loved, and they seemed to know what was happening without me telling them. I did open up to one of them, and she took me seriously, but then it was shut down really quickly and I never saw her again. It is so hard for people to come forward, especially children, and then to not be believed is devastating. The police need to be alert to complaints absolutely, but so do the teachers and the social workers. Everyone has to play their part."
Seath was abused from age 10 by grandfather Alexander Sives and her uncle Robert Sives. Both men died before their cases reached court. She was in her 20s when she was approached by police and finally reported the abuse.
Dott, who grew up in Glasgow's Easterhouse, denied the charges against him but was convicted following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. Sentencing him to seven years in prison, Lord Harrower said: "You robbed the complainers of a significant part of their childhood."
Political response
Scottish Labour justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said: "What Fiona experienced was reprehensible, and I commend her for speaking out to try and change things for others. Anyone subjected to abuse should absolutely be heard, and it is imperative that those in positions of responsibility ensure they listen. It is right that lessons are learned from past mistakes to ensure they are never repeated. There are wider questions to be answered where systemic failures have occurred, such as with the Beastie House and grooming gangs. That is why we need a joined-up, comprehensive approach to tackling this scourge."
Tory justice spokesman Stephen Kerr added: "Fiona's story is utterly harrowing and I applaud her for her incredible courage in speaking out. Far too many brave victims like her are being failed by those in positions of authority across Scotland and this cannot go on. Victims are waiting far too long to see justice delivered because those in positions of power are shamefully protected by those around them. Neil Gray as justice secretary must ensure that he's working closely with those who support victims, otherwise there is a risk we will see more victims like Fiona ignored."
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: "Child sexual abuse and exploitation are utterly heinous crimes and my heartfelt sympathies are with Ms Seath, as is my admiration for her speaking up. The action we are taking is for her, for all victims and for future generations of young people in Scotland. We will leave no stone unturned to identify and end child sexual abuse in Scotland. Perpetrators of child sexual abuse and exploitation should know there will be nowhere to hide in Scotland."
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: "The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service recognises the profound and lasting impact of child sexual abuse and other sexual offending on victims and survivors. We understand it can take many years for people to come forward and recognise the difficulties faced by those whose concerns were not acted upon or fully understood at the time. We encourage anyone affected to report abuse, regardless of how long ago it occurred. COPFS is committed to a trauma-informed, victim-centred approach, treating victims with dignity, compassion and respect throughout the justice process. Where there is sufficient evidence and prosecution is in the public interest, our specialist prosecutors will take robust action and use all available tools to seek justice."
