Graeme Dott, the Scottish player who won snooker's world championship in 2006, was found guilty on Monday of sexually abusing two children in offences that stretch back three decades, after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
A jury convicted the 49-year-old on two charges of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour. One count related to a girl between 1993 and 1996, the other to a boy between 2006 and 2010 — both victims of primary-school age at the time. The allegations against the girl included indecent exposure and inducing her to touch him; the charge involving the boy included sexual remarks and touching his genitals.
Dott denied the allegations throughout the trial and branded them "disgusting." According to reports from the courtroom, he covered his eyes and shook his head as the guilty verdict was delivered.
The judge ordered that he be held in custody pending sentencing, which is due on 29 September.
Detective Superintendent Gary Smiley, who led the police investigation, described Dott as "a dangerous individual" and said he hoped the conviction would "provide some measure of comfort for the victims."
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association responded within hours, holding an emergency board meeting on Monday that unanimously agreed to permanently revoke Dott's membership with immediate effect. The governing body also wrote to the World Snooker Tour requesting his immediate removal from the sport's Hall of Fame.
Dott had already been suspended from all professional snooker activity in April 2025, when the charges were first announced, and was subsequently relegated from the professional ranking list at the end of the 2025/26 season.
His career had been one of the sport's notable stories. Turning professional in 1994, Dott reached world number two and won the 2006 World Championship at the Crucible, beating Peter Ebdon 18-14 in the final. He was runner-up twice more, losing to Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2004 and to Neil Robertson in 2010.
That record now sits alongside a conviction that has ended his standing in the sport entirely, with sentencing to follow next month.
