Image source, Police Scotland/PA Media

As we've been reporting, former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been jailed for seven years for child sexual abuse offences.

• The 49-year-old Scot had previously been found guilty of two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour towards a girl and a boy between 1993 and 2010.
• During a trial at the High Court in Glasgow, it emerged that Dott had exposed himself and inappropriately touched the primary school girl in the 1990s and attacked the young boy between 2006 and 2010.
• The girl, now a woman in her 40s, told how Dott would kiss her, touch her inappropriately and carried out a sexual act that would, if committed now, amount to rape.
• The boy, now a man in his 20s, said he was about eight years old when Dott molested him in a shower at a home in South Lanarkshire.
• Dott was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh.

That brings our live coverage to a close. The editor was Paul McLaren, with Paul O'Hare reporting from the High Court in Edinburgh. Additional reporting by Claire Thomson and Katy Scott.

If you're just joining us, former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been jailed for seven years for child sexual abuse offences.

Watch here as judge Lord Harrower delivers his sentence.

Here's a recap of what the judge, Lord Harrower, told Dott before sentencing him.

He said Dott's behaviour towards both children displayed a "gross violation of trust".

His actions "bore the classic hallmarks of grooming", which included rewarding the victims with treats or warning them they would not be believed if they told anyone about the abuse.

“You robbed the complainers of a significant part of their childhood," the judge added.

"I’m grateful to each of them for providing me with personal statements, in which they describe their struggles to make sense of their lives amid the overwhelming emotions of fear, shame and anger as well as the continuing impact into adulthood that your actions have had on their mental wellbeing.”

Dott, who grew up in the Easterhouse area of Glasgow, became world snooker champion in 2006 after beating Peter Ebdon in the final at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield.

He had lost in the final to Ronnie O'Sullivan two years earlier and came within a match of regaining his title in 2010 when he was beaten by Neil Robertson.

He won two ranking titles during his career and was ranked number two in the world in 2007-08.

Dott is among an elite group of 30 players who have lifted the world snooker title since it was launched in 1927.

He is only the fourth Scot - after Stephen Hendry, John Higgins and Walter Donaldson - to lift the sport’s most prestigious title.

Image source, Getty Images

Following his conviction in August, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said it had permanently revoked Dott's membership with immediate effect.

Dott was also removed from World Snooker's Hall of Fame.

He was previously suspended from all professional snooker activities on 9 April 2025 pending the outcome of his trial.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Dott lived a public life of success but, in private, he exploited the trust of two children to abuse and coerce them.

Procurator Fiscal Faye Cook said: "Dott’s criminal behaviour has been his downfall and he now faces the consequences of his 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."

She added it can be difficult to report non-recent offending, especially by people with a profile, but "justice has no time limit".

Following Dott's conviction last month, Police Scotland described the former snooker world champion as "a dangerous individual".

Det Insp Gary Smillie said: "I hope this conviction provides some measure of comfort to those impacted by his crimes.

"His conviction is as a direct result of their strength in coming forward and providing information which assisted our inquiries."

Throughout his trial, Dott maintained he was innocent and called the claims made against him "disgusting".

Police had previously contacted Dott about his victims' allegations in 2001, but no charges were brought.

Paul O'Hare
at the High Court in Edinburgh

Image source, Getty Images

It is rare to observe someone who reached the very pinnacle of their profession, at a global level, in such a scenario.

Dott gave evidence during his trial and branded the allegations “nonsense” and “lies”.

He told the court: “I have never acted inappropriately with anyone.”

But on 24 August, a jury at the High Court in Glasgow found him guilty of sexually abusing two children over a 17-year period.

Today he stood in a dock, flanked by two security guards, as he learned his fate.

Dott’s downfall, from world snooker champion to convicted sex offender, is as remarkable as his crimes were despicable.

The defence agent told the court Dott had already been the subject of threats in prison, and had been moved to another part of the jail as a result of becoming “a target within the custodial establishment”.

It had emerged that Dott's female victim was nine at the time of his first offence and he was 16.

The boy was eight when he was first targeted by Dott, who was 28 by then.

Dow told the court Dott had been removed from the World Snooker Hall of Fame and had no future career in the sport.

He added: “Both his personal and professional reputations have been destroyed.”

Earlier Euan Dow, representing Dott, told the court the father-of-two was separated from his wife.

But Dow said the former world snooker champion “continues to enjoy the support of his family and friends”.

He added that Dott suffers from "long-standing mental health issues".

Dott continues to maintain his innocence.

Paul O'Hare
at the High Court in Edinburgh

There was a stony silence in court as Dott, wearing a dark suit and pink shirt, was led into the dock.

The 49-year-old continued to show no emotion as the judge delivered his sentence.

He was then led away in handcuffs to begin his seven-year jail term.

The sentence of seven years has been backdated to 24 August, which is when Dott was remanded in custody.

The judge added social work reports deem Dott to pose a "below average risk of reoffending".

But he noted the former snooker world champion maintains his innocence, so he cannot take into account any remorse or insight into his offending.

Dott has two previous convictions for minor road traffic offences in 2013 and 2015.

Paul O'Hare
at the High Court in Edinburgh

Before delivering sentence, the judge Lord Harrower told the court each child was vulnerable and Dott's behaviour towards them "bore the classic hallmarks of grooming".

He said Dott rewarded the victims with treats and the abuse was part of a game.

The judge added that Dott robbed his victims of "a significant part of their childhood" and they experienced "fear, shame and anger".

As Lord Harrower addressed him, Dott shook his head at some of the detail in disbelief.

Following a trial, Dott was convicted under Scots Law of lewd and libidinous practices.

These refer to any sexual crimes against children committed prior to 1 December 2010.

The offence was abolished in 2009, but is still used for crimes carried out before then.

Image source, PA Media

Dott was found guilty of two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour towards a girl and a boy between 1993 and 2010.

During a trial at the High Court in Glasgow, it emerged that Dott had exposed himself and inappropriately touched the primary school girl in the 1990s and attacked the young boy between 2006 and 2010.

The girl, now a woman in her 40s, told how Dott would kiss her, touch her inappropriately and carried out a sexual act that would, if committed now, amount to rape.

The boy, now a man in his 20s, said he was about eight years old when Dott molested him in a shower at a home in South Lanarkshire.

Paul O'Hare
at the High Court in Edinburgh

Dott showed no emotion as he was sentenced. He simply nodded to someone in the public gallery as he was led away.

The former world snooker champion has been jailed for seven years.

Image source, Police Scotland/PA Media

Graeme Dott, the 2006 world snooker champion, is due to be sentenced for child sexual abuse offences.

The 49-year-old Scot was convicted of two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour towards a girl and a boy.

He was found guilty after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow in August.

Dott, who has been held on remand in prison since being found guilty, is due to appear for sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh shortly.