Ex-world snooker champion Graeme Dott is found guilty of sexually abusing two primary school-aged children

Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been found guilty of sexually abusing two children.The 49-year-old subjected a girl and a boy, both of primary school age, to 'lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour' by touching and kissing them inappropriately.The abuse, which took place in the Glasgow region, spanned between 1993 and 1996 involving the girl, and from 2006 to 2010 involving the boy.Dott inappropriately touched the girl, instructed her to remove her clothes and exposed himself.He separately abused a boy by making sexual remarks, molesting him and entering a bathroom where he watched him shower.Both charges, which Dott had denied, stated the incidents occurred on 'various occasions'.He was today found guilty of two counts of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour. Graeme Dott photographed (above) arriving at the High Court in GlasgowDuring the trial, jurors heard from one of Dott's victims, a woman now in her 40s, who told the court the Scottish former professional snooker player had sexually abused her on multiple separate occasions while she was a child.She said the abuse had started with Dott 'caressing' her bottom over her clothing while giving her a piggy back.The woman also described an occasion when she said Dott suggested playing a 'guessing game' where she had to guess what he was doing.She told the court she lay down and he exposed himself to her and then began touching her with different parts of his body, including his penis.The woman told the court that Dott told her not to tell anyone he was sexually abusing her.The second victim, a man who is now in his late 20s, said he was sexually abused by Dott on multiple occasions, with the snooker player touching him inappropriately, kissing him and performing sexual acts.He told the court a lot of the abuse took place while he was in a shower, when Dott would come in either partly or completely undressed.'He would… come into the shower and put soap on my body and wash me in the shower,' the man said. Graeme Dott is seen here playing a shot at a quarter-final match at Wembley Arena in London in January 2011'While he was washing me he would touch me in inappropriate places.'He said looking back at it now, Dott was 'clearly getting sexual gratification from it', and he was 'pleasuring himself' while the abuse was taking place.The victim said that because of his age at the time, he 'did not know what was going on', and it was only later he realised the interaction 'wasn't right'.The witness also described abuse which took place in a car, where he said Dott would kiss him on the face, head and lips, and 'push himself up against me'.The trial heard Dott would buy him items such as Thai chilli crisps and Irn Bru - which the victim said he can no longer eat to this day.Dott also once gave the victim a £50 note then accused him of stealing it when his parents found out about the money.The man told jurors the lead-up to being given the cash was 'sexually motivated' and that it was a 'reward strategy' for what had gone on.Dott was also repeatedly inappropriate with him in a room while he played online poker games.Other incidents occurred in a car after he parked up in an area 'out of the public eye', with the abuse taking place approximately five times.Asked about any further recollections, the witness stated anything related to Dove soap gives him PTSD 'flashbacks' as Dott used it for a skin condition.Dott faced a fresh investigation in 2024. He was later suspended by snooker's governing body prior to the case first calling at the high court last year.He testified himself at the trial and denied all accusations.Dott described the then girl's claims as 'disgusting'. He also insisted he had never been alone with the boy.He said: 'I have never acted inappropriately with anyone.'Giving evidence last week, Dott had said there was 'absolutely no way' he sexually abused two children - branding the allegations 'nonsense' and 'lies'.He had been on bail for the trial at the High Court in Glasgow, but was remanded in custody by Lord Harrower. Under cross-examination by prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel, Dott denied being attracted to the girl when she was young, calling the idea 'disgusting'.When Ms Dalziel put it to Dott that he touched the first victim and told her what to do, he denied the allegation and called it 'lies'.Speaking about the second victim, Dott said he was 'never in my company' and denied all allegations of abuse.In her closing speech on Friday, Ms Dalziel called on the jury to find Dott guilty of both charges.She said: 'The Crown's case is that Graeme Dott subjected vulnerable children to the worst kind of abuse with a course of conduct which relied on opportunity, for his own gratification.'Dott's lawyer, Euan Dow, had invited jurors to clear his client of both charges.But Dott was found guilty on Monday following the trial which began on August 18.Dott, who had been living in Glasgow's Dennistoun district, held his head in hands as the verdicts were delivered, but showed no emotion as he was led handcuffed to a cell.He will be sentenced on September 29 in Edinburgh.Kirsty Aitken, NSPCC assistant director for Scotland, said: 'Graeme Dott sexually abused two young children between 1993 and 2010.'His victims, who were primary school aged at the time, have lived for many years with the impact of this abuse, knowing that Dott had not been held accountable and was able to continue with his snooker career.'Child sexual abuse can have a devastating and long-lasting impact on a person's life, and these victims have shown immense courage in coming forward and helping to bring Dott to justice.'We hope this verdict supports their recovery, and it is vital they can access the help they need to move forward with their lives.'No matter who the perpetrator is, or how many years have passed, it is never too late for those who have experienced abuse to speak out and seek support.'The Scottish former professional snooker player won his first world title and first ranking title at the 2006 World Championship.In 2008 he was said to have begun experiencing 'clinical depression' which affected his performance, amid a string of defeats.Dott was suspended from competing in the sport in April 2025 after he was charged with sexual abuse.