Crime & Justice 2 min read 6h ago · Updated August 24, 2026 at 23:44 UTC

Snooker Champion Graeme Dott Convicted of Child Sex Abuse

Former snooker world champion Graeme Dott, 49, has been convicted by a jury of sexually abusing two children in the Glasgow area across offences spanning from 1993 to 2010.
One victim reported the abuse to police as early as 2001, but proceedings did not begin until a second victim came forward in 2024, leading to Dott's charge in April 2025.
Dott denied all charges and accused his victims of lying; he is remanded in custody ahead of a sentencing hearing scheduled for 29 September.

Graeme Dott, the 49-year-old Scot who won the World Snooker Championship in 2006, has been found guilty by a jury of sexually abusing two children in the Glasgow area. The verdict marks the culmination of a case that drew on offences alleged to have occurred across two distinct periods: between 1993 and 1996, and again between 2006 and 2010. Both victims were of primary school age when the abuse took place.

Two victims, two decades apart

One of the two complainants — a woman now aged over 40 — first approached police as long ago as 2001. Why no prosecution followed at that stage was not made clear during the proceedings. The second victim, a man now in his late twenties, came forward in 2024. It was only after he filed his report that officers returned to the first complainant and formally interviewed her again. Dott was charged in April 2025, whereupon the sport's governing body suspended him. At that point he had long passed his competitive peak, sitting at 56th in the world rankings, having also been runner-up at the World Championship on two occasions.

Manipulation and coercion described in court

Both victims gave evidence describing how Dott conducted his abuse. According to testimony heard at trial, he disguised the assaults as childish games, employed what was characterised as a reward system, and placed his victims under pressure to remain silent. Detective Inspector Gary Smillie, speaking after the jury returned its verdict, described Dott as "a dangerous individual" and expressed hope that "his conviction brings some comfort to those affected by his actions."

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Denial and sentencing

Dott maintained his innocence throughout the trial and accused both complainants of fabricating their accounts. He had been on bail prior to the verdict but is now remanded in custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled for 29 September. As is standard practice in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom, the extent of his punishment will not be determined until that hearing.

##GraemeDott ##Snooker ##ChildAbuse

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