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Graeme Dott removed from snooker Hall of Fame after child abuse conviction

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Graeme Dott won the world championship title in 2006 [Getty Images]

Graeme Dott has been removed from World Snooker's Hall of Fame after he was convicted of sexually abusing two children.

The 49-year-old, who won the title in 2006, was found guilty on Monday of two counts of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour towards a girl and a boy between 1993 and 2010.

A five-day trial heard Dott had exposed himself and inappropriately touched a primary school girl in the 1990s and attacked a young boy between 2006 and 2010. He will be sentenced next month.

World Snooker has now confirmed Dott will be removed from the list of players considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the sport "with immediate effect".

On Monday, the court heard how Dott sexually abused a girl on a number of occasions, including touching her inappropriately and exposing himself to her.

The woman, now in her 40s, said his actions left her "shocked and scared" and that he bought her gifts during the period of abuse.

Police contacted Dott about the allegations in 2001, but no charges were brought, before the woman gave a new statement in 2025.

A second victim told the court Dott began abusing him when he was about eight years old, shortly after the snooker player had won the world title.

The man, now in his 20s, said he was abused in a shower and a car and that Dott gave him food, drinks and money.

Lewd and libidinous practices 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.

Det Insp Gary Smillie, of Police Scotland, described Dott as a "dangerous individual".

Dott, from Glasgow, had previously called the allegations made against him "disgusting".

Membership revoked

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association responded to the court verdict on Monday by saying it had permanently revoked Dott's membership with immediate effect.

This followed an emergency board meeting where it was unanimously agreed to remove him from the sport.

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

He was subsequently relegated from the professional ranking list at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association said it had permanently revoked Dott's membership [PA Media]

Dott turned professional in 1994 and went on to spend more than three decades on the professional snooker circuit.

He reached his first World Championship final in 2004, where he was beaten by Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Dott became world champion for the first and only time in 2006.

He won the China Open in 2007, the second ranking title of his career.

Dott subsequently reached a career-high world ranking of number two.

Source: Yahoo Sports

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