World snooker champion sentenced to 7 years in prison for child abuse

Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of serious sexual offenses against a boy and a girl. The judge ruled that Dott robbed his victims of their childhood and that his behavior bore hallmarks of pedophilia. The prison sentence will begin on August 24.

Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been sentenced to seven years in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh after being convicted of serious sexual offenses against a boy and a girl. Judge Lord Harrower ruled that Dott robbed his victims of "a significant part of their childhood" and that his behavior bore hallmarks of pedophilia. The prison sentence will begin on August 24, when he was taken into custody. The judge added that Dott exploited the vulnerability of the victims, who were nine and eight years old when the abuse began, and rewarded them with "treats" while disguising his actions as part of a game. Dott also warned the children that they would not be believed if they told about his actions. During the trial, harrowing testimonies were revealed, including that of a woman, now in her 40s, who said Dott exposed himself to her and committed serious sexual acts in the 1990s. Another victim, a man now in his 20s, testified that Dott abused him in a shower and a car between 2006 and 2010. Following his conviction, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association immediately revoked Dott's membership, and he will be registered as a sex offender for life.