Dott found guilty of lewd behaviour towards children
Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been found guilty of two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour towards a girl and a boy between 1993 and 2010. The 49-year-old denied the charges but was convicted after a five-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow. Sentencing will take place on 29 September in Edinburgh.
Dott's conviction stems from offences spanning nearly two decades, with the earliest alleged abuse occurring in the 1990s against a primary school-aged girl. Authorities had investigated the allegations as far back as 2001, but no charges were pursued at that time; the case was revived after the victim provided a fresh statement in 2025.
The snooker governing body acted swiftly following the verdict, permanently revoking Dott's membership and requesting his removal from the World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame. Dott, who claimed the allegations were "disgusting" and false, was remanded in custody ahead of his September sentencing hearing, where a victim impact statement will be considered.
This case may reverberate beyond the individual conviction, potentially affecting public trust in sports institutions and their handling of abuse allegations. Victims of historical abuse could feel encouraged to come forward, while the snooker community may grapple with the legacy of a celebrated champion now convicted of serious crimes. The outcome may also prompt scrutiny of how earlier allegations were handled in 2001, raising questions about whether past reporting failures allowed further offending to occur.