• Former world champion Graeme Dott sentenced to seven years for child sexual abuse.
• Dott was convicted of abusing two primary school-age children between 1993 and 2010.
• Judge described Dott's actions as a "gross violation of trust" and indicative of grooming.
• Dott continues to maintain his innocence despite the court's verdict.
• His membership in the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association has been revoked.

Graeme Dott, a former world snooker champion, has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing two children. The offences took place between 1993 and 2010, with the victims being a girl and a boy aged from primary school age. The High Court in Edinburgh ruled against Dott, who had denied the charges of "lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour," but was found guilty following a five-day trial, according to Reuters, India Times, and BBC.

During sentencing, Judge Lord Harrower emphasized that Dott had committed a "gross violation of trust," affecting both victims severely. He noted that Dott's actions constituted not only failure to protect vulnerable children but also involved manipulation through gifts and play. The judge stated, "Dott robbed his victims of a significant part of their childhood," according to BBC and Reuters.

Evidence presented in court revealed that Dott used grooming techniques, including rewards and manipulative games, to carry out his abuse. Both victims testified about the traumatic impact of Dott's actions—one victim, now in her 40s, shared that he had sexually assaulted her on numerous occasions when she was a child, including incidents that would now be classified as rape. The boy, now in his 20s, described being abused around the same timeframe when Dott was enjoying a successful snooker career, specifically following his world championship victory in 2006, according to India Times and BBC.

Dott's conviction resulted in the permanent revocation of his membership with the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and a lifetime registration on the sex offenders list. Following the ruling, Dott, who continues to maintain his innocence despite overwhelming evidence, faces significant personal and professional setbacks as noted by his legal representation, who mentioned his ongoing mental health issues and the destruction of his reputation, according to Reuters and BBC.