Snooker star Graeme Dott branded 'dangerous individual' after child sex abuse conviction

Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been convicted of sexually abusing two children. Police have called him a "dangerous individual".

Former world champion convicted of child sexual abuse

BreakingNews.ie reports that Detective Inspector Gary Smillie labelled snooker player Graeme Dott a "dangerous individual" following the former world champion's conviction for the sexual abuse of two children.

Speaking to journalists in Glasgow after the verdict, Smillie praised the courage of Dott's victims in coming forward. "Dott is a dangerous individual, and I hope this conviction provides some measure of comfort to those impacted by his crimes," he said. "His conviction is a direct result of their strength in coming forward and providing information which assisted our inquiries."

Dott, 49, subjected two primary school-aged children to multiple incidents of abuse — targeting a girl between 1993 and 1996, and a boy between 2006 and 2010.

One victim, a woman now in her 40s, first gave a statement to police about his conduct in 2001. When asked why it took so long for a conviction to be secured, Smillie said he could not comment on the matter. He did confirm, however, that a second individual later came forward with additional complaints, providing further information for police and prosecutors.

The detective inspector declined to say whether Dott could have been brought to justice sooner.

Smillie acknowledged the difficulty victims face in reporting abuse. "We understand that it's not easy to come forward to report incidents when they happen, but the two individuals involved in this have shown significant strength in coming forward and ultimately have been supported by specialist officers," he said.

He also encouraged anyone with concerns about abuse to contact police, reiterating that investigations would be pursued regardless of the time elapsed or the profile of those involved. "We will continue to investigate abuse wherever and whenever it happens, no matter how much time has passed, and we will hold those responsible accountable, regardless of who they are," Smillie added.

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If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text and webchat options at drcc.ie, or visit Rape Crisis Help. In an emergency, dial 999/112.

Source: BreakingNews.ie