Stuart Hogg, the former captain of the Scottish rugby union team, has been sentenced to a community payback sentence after admitting abusing his estranged wife for five years. He pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic violence against his ex-partner, Gillian Hogg, at Selkirk Sheriff Court on November 4.
The court heard he admitted shouting and swearing, tracking her movements and sending her alarming and distressing messages. Sheriff Peter Paterson sentenced Hogg to a community payback order with a year’s supervision and a second five-year non-harassment order when he appeared for sentencing on Thursday.
Hogg was previously banned from approaching or contacting Ms Hogg for five years after admitting breaching his bail conditions by contacting her several times in June, during which she received 28 text messages from him in one night. Sheriff Paterson made the first five-year non-harassment order and fined him £600, plus a further victim surcharge of £40, when he convicted him of breaching bail conditions at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on December 5.
LEARN MORE: Cold Weather DWP Payments: When You’ll Receive Them and Who’s Eligible
LEARN MORE: The 65p household staple that will defrost slippery driveways in minutes
Hogg was also due to be sentenced last month for domestic violence, but Sheriff Paterson postponed sentencing until Thursday to clarify whether a community order with remote monitoring could be imposed as Hogg now lives overseas.
Join our WhatsApp group Top Stories and Breaking News in by clicking on this link
The court previously heard the 32-year-old reprimanded Ms Hogg for “not being fun” after she continued drinking with her colleagues, and sent her more than 200 text messages within hours. He was due to stand trial at the same court in November but pleaded guilty to domestic violence between 2019 and 2024 in various locations, including Hawick, in the Scottish Borders.
Now playing for French club Montpellier, Hogg currently resides abroad and is undergoing divorce proceedings, the court revealed. Prosecutor Drew Long said the couple moved to Exeter in 2019 with their three young children, all aged under three, but Hogg’s behavior worsened as he started partying more frequently .
Mr. Long explained that Hogg would “yell, swear and accuse Ms. Hogg of not being fun” for not participating in his drinking escapades, which would lead to noticeable changes in her. In 2022, Ms Hogg suffered a barrage of text messages from her husband during a night out, which caused concern, the court was told.
The following year, the couple moved to Hawick in the Borders, where Hogg used an app to track his wife and ask her where she was while she dropped the children off, according to Mr Long. In 2023, Ms Hogg decided to quit rugby and sought advice from a domestic violence service.
The court heard that in September 2023, Hogg bombarded Ms Hogg with messages to the point she suffered a panic attack, and Hogg “sent more than 200 text messages in a matter of hours despite being asked for help.” leave it alone.”
On February 21 last year, the situation escalated when police responded to reports that Hogg was “screaming and swearing”, leading to his arrest and bail conditions which left him prohibited from contacting Mrs Hogg or entering the family home.
Hogg, who retired from professional rugby in July 2023, made headlines last summer when he announced his return by signing a two-year contract with Montpellier. The former Glasgow Warriors and Exeter Chiefs star was honored with an MBE for his contribution to rugby in the previous New Year honors list.