Graeme Dott Found Guilty of Child Sexual Abuse Following Glasgow High Court Trial

Verdict Returned After Five-Day Trial

Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been found guilty of sexually abusing two primary school-age children, following a five-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow. The 49-year-old was convicted on two counts of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour — one involving a girl abused between 1993 and 1996, and one involving a boy abused between 2006 and 2010. Both sets of offences took place in the Glasgow area.

The court heard that Dott exposed himself in front of both children, touched them inappropriately, and kissed them on multiple separate occasions. The jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts.

What the Court Heard

The first victim, a woman now in her forties, gave evidence describing a pattern of abuse that began when Dott touched her inappropriately whilst giving her a piggyback. She told the court he subsequently involved her in what he described as a "guessing game", during which he exposed himself and touched her with different parts of his body. She testified that Dott had instructed her not to disclose what was happening to anyone.

The second victim, a man now in his late twenties, described repeated incidents of abuse, a significant number of which occurred whilst he was showering. He told the court that Dott would enter the bathroom either partly or fully undressed, apply soap to his body, and touch him in inappropriate places during the process. He described further abuse taking place in a vehicle, where Dott would kiss him on the face, head and lips and press himself against him. The man told the court that due to his age at the time he had not understood what was occurring, and only recognised the nature of the interactions later in life.

Prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel led the cross-examination of Dott, who had taken the stand during the trial. Dott denied all allegations, stating there was "absolutely no way" he had abused either child, and described the accusations as "lies". The jury rejected his account.

Dott's Career in Professional Snooker

Graeme Dott turned professional in 1994 and competed on the World Snooker Tour for three decades, becoming one of the most recognisable Scottish players in the sport's history. His career highlight came at the 2006 World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, where he defeated Peter Ebdon 18–14 in a final that extended into the early hours of the morning — at the time one of the most gruelling title matches in the event's modern era.

According to data from CueTracker, Dott accumulated multiple ranking titles across his career and reached a world ranking high of number four. He remained a consistent presence on the professional circuit well into his forties, competing in ranking events as recently as the 2024–25 season. His career century break tally runs into the hundreds, and he was widely regarded as a technically disciplined and mentally resilient competitor throughout his time on tour.

The period during which the second set of offences took place — 2006 to 2010 — overlapped directly with what many observers considered the peak years of his professional career, during which he was a regular fixture at the latter stages of major ranking events.

What Happens Next

Dott now awaits sentencing following the guilty verdicts. No sentencing date has been confirmed at the time of publication. As is standard following conviction at the High Court in Scotland on charges of this nature, a range of orders and restrictions are likely to be considered by the presiding judge.

SnookerWins will not be speculating on the outcome of sentencing proceedings. What can be stated plainly is that the convictions represent a profound and deeply serious matter that extends entirely beyond the sport of snooker. The priority in reporting these findings is accuracy and respect for the victims, both of whom showed considerable courage in giving evidence at trial.

World Snooker Tour — now operating under the Matchroom Sport umbrella — has not yet issued a public statement at the time this article was published. It is expected that the organisation will respond formally in due course. Dott's professional status and any associated tour membership will be subject to review in light of the verdict.