Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been sentenced to seven years in jail after being found guilty of sexually abusing two primary school-age children.
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Dott → sentence → children
The 49-year-old subjected a girl and a boy to multiple incidents of abuse, with the girl targeted between 1993 and 1996 and the boy between 2006 and 2010.
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girl → subject → 2006
Imposing a backdated sentence of seven years, he said Dott’s behaviour had involved a “gross violation of trust”.
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behaviour → impose → trust
A five-day trial heard Dott exposed himself in front of both children, touched them inappropriately and kissed them.
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Dott → hear → them
In August, he was found guilty of two counts of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour towards them.
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he → find → them
During the trial, jurors heard from one of Dott’s victims, a woman now in her 40s.
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jurors → hear → 40s
She told the court that Dott had sexually abused her on multiple separate occasions while she was a child.
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she → tell → occasions
The second victim, a man who is now in his late 20s, said he was sexually abused by Dott on multiple occasions.
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he → say → occasions
Dott had denied the charges but was found guilty by the jury.
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Dott → deny → jury
Lord Harrower remanded him in custody and his name was added to the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
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name → remand → register
Sentencing Dott, Lord Harrower said his actions bore “the hallmarks of grooming”.
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actions → sentence → grooming
He said that both children were vulnerable and added: “Your behaviour bore the hallmarks of grooming.”
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behaviour → say → grooming
Lord Harrower said that while the offending against Jane happened while Dott was still a child aged around 16 or 17 himself, the offences against Kevin took place while Dott was an adult.
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Dott → say → place
He said: “You robbed the complainers of a significant part of their childhood.”
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You → say → childhood
The judge said Dott’s only previous convictions had been for “relatively minor road traffic offences”.
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convictions → say → offences
Dott, who appeared in the dock wearing a light pink shirt and a suit, was led away in handcuffs following the sentencing.
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who → appear → sentencing
Dott’s lawyer Euan Dow spoke in mitigation at the hearing in Edinburgh.
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lawyer → speak → Edinburgh
He said the 49-year-old was now separated from his wife but she remains supportive of him.
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she → say → him
Mr Dow said his client had left school aged 15 in order to pursue a career as a professional snooker player.
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client → say → player
Dott has “long standing mental health issues” and “recognises that a custodial sentence is inevitable”, he said.
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he → have → issues
Mr Dow said that following the conviction “both his personal and professional reputations have been destroyed”, noting that Dott has been removed from World Snooker’s hall of fame.
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Dott → say → fame
The court heard Dott continues to maintain his innocence.
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Dott → hear → innocence
Dott, who turned professional in 1994, won the World Snooker Championship in 2006, defeating Peter Ebdon in the final at the Crucible in Sheffield.
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who → turn → Sheffield
He reached the final in two other years but was beaten by Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2004 and Neil Robertson in 2010.
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He → reach → 2010
Following his conviction, Dott’s name was removed from World Snooker’s hall of fame.
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name → follow → fame
Procurator Fiscal Faye Cook of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said: “Graeme Dott achieved success and public admiration but, in private, he exploited the trust of two children to abuse and coerce them.
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he → say → them
“Dott’s criminal behaviour has been his downfall and he now faces the consequences of his actions.
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he → face → actions
“At the heart of his offending are victims who were harmed when very young and we are grateful that they felt able to report their experiences.
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they → harm → experiences
“COPFS recognises it can be difficult to report non-recent offending, perhaps even more so by figures who have authority or profile.
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who → recognise → authority
A Police Scotland detective had earlier described Dott as a “dangerous individual”.
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detective → describe → individual
Following Dott’s conviction on August 24, detective inspector Gary Smillie praised the bravery of the snooker player’s victims in coming forward with details of his crimes.
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Smillie → follow → crimes
The female victim first gave a statement to police about Dott’s behaviour in 2001.
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victim → give → 2001
Kirsty Aitken, assistant director for Scotland at the NSPCC charity, said: “Graeme Dott sexually abused two young children between 1993 and 2010.
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Dott → say → 1993
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.
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Dott → age → 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.
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victims → have → 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.
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they → hope → 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.”
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who → pass → support
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