Shamed rugby star Stuart Hogg is arrested ‘for harassing his ex-wife’ after he was stripped of his MBE for home abuse
Shamed rugby star Stuart Hogg, stripped of his MBE after a domestic abuse conviction, has been arrested for allegedly harassing his former wife.
Ex-Scotland rugby union captain Hogg was held in connection with an alleged breach of a non-harassment order, it has emerged.
Hogg, 33, had been banned from approaching or contacting his estranged wife Gillian Hogg for five years after he pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic abuse.
In November 2024, he admitted shouting and swearing, tracking her movements, and sending her messages which were alarming and distressing in nature.
Sheriff Peter Paterson sentenced Hogg to a community payback order with one year of supervision when he appeared at Selkirk Sheriff Court for sentencing in January last year.
He was also handed a five-year non-harassment order.
Hogg was arrested on February 12 this year and released without charge, with the arrest only first reported today.
He was detained in his hometown of Hawick on the first birthday of his son Teddy, whose mother is his ex-jockey and broadcaster former girlfriend Leonna Mayor.
Shamed ex-rugby star Stuart Hogg has been arrested for allegedly harassing his former wife Gillian (pictured together during their their marriage)
The former Scotland rugby union captain recently split from ex-girlfriend Leonna Mayor, with whom he shares a son (pictured)
Hogg, who now plays for French club Montpellier, was held for allegedly hassling his ex-wife Gillian Smith, who is mother to four of his children.
While the non-harassment order allowed him to contact her relating to their children, he was accused of harassing her about personal matters – but was then released without charge.
Earlier this month Hogg was stripped of the MBE he received in the 2024 New Year Honours list for services to rugby.
The Scottish Sun quoted a source as saying: ‘A red flag appeared on his passport as he flew into Manchester airport from France and he was collared by police.
‘He was ordered to report to the station in Hawick. He was arrested and interviewed, but there wasn’t enough to charge him.
‘He is allowed to message Gillian over an app to discuss only the kids but once again, he’s given an inch and takes a mile.’
They added that Hogg’s ex-wife hoped the non-harassment order could be amended to ensure he only contacts her through lawyers in the future.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: ‘A 33-year-old man was arrested in the Hawick area on Thursday February 12, 2026 in connection with a report of a breach of a non-harassment order. He was released without charge.’
Hogg was banned from approaching or contacting estranged wife Gillian for five years after admitting a domestic abuse charge. (Seen outside Selkirk Sheriff Court in January 2025)
Hogg, who played 100 times for his country, was spared jail last year having pleaded guilty to the abuse of his estranged wife Gillian over a five-year period.
He admitted shouting, swearing and acting in an abusive manner towards Gillian at Selkirk Sheriff Court in November 2024.
The court heard how, on one occasion, he bombarded Gillian with more than 200 messages in just a couple of hours.
Hogg served a community payback order rather than jail time.
Dr Marsha Scott, chief executive of Scottish Women’s Aid, called the sentence ‘trivial’ at the time and said Hogg allegedly subjected his former partner to a ‘regime of terror for five years’.
The rugby star claimed last October that he had ‘lost himself’ amid the breakdown of his marriage.
Having initially retired from the game ahead of the 2023 World Cup, Hogg reversed that decision in the summer of 2024 to sign for Montpellier.
He also began a relationship with former jockey Ms Mayor, 35, before she announced their split at the turn of this year with a post on Instagram.
She told her 40,000 followers on the site: ‘Now seems as good a time as any – lots of you guys asking about my situation and life recently. I am no longer with Stuart.
‘I appreciate everyone’s genuine interest in our life. I’m not one to discuss other people’s lives so won’t add detail. We’ll just say it’s just me and Teddy.
‘It has been for a while now so I am in a position to be able to talk about our future with friends and family and those closest to us. New year. Fresh start. Me and the most precious thing. Lots of exciting things planned in life and work coming up.’
Hogg remains one of Scotland’s all-time leading try scorers and was picked for three British and Irish Lions tours. His final international appearance came in 2023.
