Stuart Hogg is a former Scotland international rugby player. He had played exactly 100 Test matches between 2012 and 2023. He will probably go down as a Scottish great. However, he has hit the headlines for a whole different reason. It's nothing to be happy or proud about.
He is due to be sentenced after he admitted abusing his estranged wife over the course of five years. He previously pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic abuse of his ex-partner, Gillian Hogg, when he appeared at Selkirk Sheriff Court on 4 November.
He admitted shouting and swearing, tracking her movements and sending her messages which were alarming and distressing in nature. The court previously heard he berated Mrs Hogg for, "not being fun" after going on drinking binges with his colleagues and once sent more than 200 text messages to her in the space of a few hours.
Hogg, who plays for French club, Montpellier, now lives abroad and is in the process of a divorce, the court heard that day. Prosecutor, Drew Long, said the couple moved to Exeter in 2019 with their three young children, all under three but Hogg’s "behaviour deteriorated" as he went out partying.
Mr. Long said Hogg would, "shout and swear and accuse Mrs. Hogg of not being fun" for not joining in drinking and that her famil,y "noticed a change in her." In 2022, Mrs. Hogg went on a night out and was bombarded with text messages from her husband which, "caught the attention of the people she was with," the court heard.
The following year, the couple moved to Hawick in the Borders but Hogg used an app to track his wife and, "questioned her whereabouts" while she was dropping the children off, Mr. Long told the court. In 2023, Mrs. Hogg decided to leave the rugby player and sought advice from a domestic abuse service.
The court heard that in September 2023, Hogg sent so many messages that it led Mrs. Hogg to have a panic attack and Hogg, "sent in excess of 200 texts in a few hours despite being asked to leave her alone."
On 21 February this year, police were called due to Hogg, "shouting and swearing" and he was taken into custody and then placed on a bail order stipulating not to contact Mrs. Hogg or to enter the family home.
Hogg retired from professional rugby last July but this summer it was announced he was returning after signing for Montpellier on a two-year contract. The former Glasgow Warriors and Exeter Chiefs player was made an MBE for services to the sport in this year’s New Year Honours list.
Stuart Hogg now faces a five-year non-harassment order, unraveling a shocking story of domestic turmoil that has captivated and divided the public. Hogg, the former captain of the Scotland rugby team, has also been slapped with a £600 fine, along with an additional £40 fee designated for victims. This legal action stems from ongoing issues with his ex-wife, Gillian Hogg, amidst their divorce proceedings.
The 32-year-old athlete appeared at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, where he admitted to violating bail conditions by repeatedly contacting Mrs. Hogg multiple times throughout June. Furthermore, he confessed to charges of domestic abuse that occurred between 2019 and 2024 during a session at Selkirk Sheriff Court. A sentencing decision regarding this abuse is set to be announced on 9 January 2025.
The public's reaction to Hogg's situation is mixed; many fans grapple with the dissonance of admiring a talented athlete while also confronting the disturbing realities of his personal conduct. As he continues to play professionally in France, the forthcoming court outcomes will play a crucial role in determining his future both within the sport and in his personal life.
Shockingly, the Scottish governing body didn't know about issues between Hogg and his former partner in relation to the criminal charge brought against him and only discovered details when the player was arrested in February. The full extent of those were revealed after Hogg pleaded guilty to domestic abuse in November.
There was a flurry of speculation around his departure, with questions also being asked about the earlier loss of his captaincy and concerns about his behaviour off the park. the decision to quit international rugby was entirely Hogg’s — with no pressure from Scottish Rugby — and the loss of the armband was merely a, "rugby decision" based on performance.
Stuart Hogg’s pregnant girlfriend must be careful she doesn't become his next victim, a domestic abuse expert warns.
Dr. Anni Donaldson fears for Sky Sports horse racing presenter, Leonna Mayor, who has stuck by the ex-Scotland captain despite his conviction for a five-year campaign of hate against his estranged wife Gillian.
The ex-jockey, 34, revealed she was carrying his baby weeks before he pled guilty to terrorising the mom of his four kids by tracking her movements using an app and subjecting her to boozed-up rants.
Hogg was this week banned from contacting his ex for five years amid fears he could lash out again when he, "starts drinking."
Dr. Donaldson said, "Police Scotland respond to a domestic abuse call every nine minutes. Even although you’re not hitting it doesn’t really matter because your control is tactical and clever. These were not just one-off incidents and he’s been convicted of a course of conduct over five years."
“I would be concerned for his new partner and the child. I hope she has a lot of support around her. And I hope that he admits to himself that his behaviour has been really problematic and criminal."
She hailed prosecutors for nailing the 14-stone Montpellier full-back using updated laws aimed at stamping out coercive control and psychological abuse. Dr. Donaldson says views on domestic violence need to change as modern technology has given perpetrators new ways to torture victims.
She added, "A lot of women who experience domestic abuse over a period of time suffer from post-traumatic stress. If that then happens again and again, you’re never really getting the chance to recover from that. To receive 200 text messages within a very short period of time, that’s very threatening. It is very controlling and I would say it’s about showing his dominance. A woman in a situation where there’s no violence, it invariably escalates. And I think you could see that in Hogg’s behaviour."
What Stuart Hogg did was despicable. I don't know what he was thinking. This whole divided opinion doesn't make sense to me. He openly confessed and was found guilty of the actions. This leaves nothing to speculation. To me, someone who supports an abuser is rather disturbing. The career he once had can't protect him; no matter how hard he tries. Fame and fortune can't save anyone from serious trouble.