Disgraced former Scottish rugby captain Stuart Hogg sent 200 abusive messages to his estranged wife in just two hours and drunkenly accused her of not being ‘fun’ as part of a five-year campaign of domestic abuse.
The player repeatedly abused the mother of his four children, shouting and swearing at Gillian Hogg as well as tracking her movements and bombarding her with texts.
On Monday, the day he was due to stand trial, the 32-year-old appeared at Selkirk Sheriff Court, accompanied by his parents Margaret and John, and pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic abuse from 2019 to 2024.
During the years of abuse inflicted on Mrs Hogg, he caused her to suffer a panic attack, berated her for ‘not being fun’ and sent her ‘aggressive and hostile’ messages.
The court heard there were instances in which he would send her more than 200 messages in the space of a few hours, sometimes attracting the attention of those she was with.
He would also berate her for ‘not being fun’ when she stayed behind to look after their children while he went out drinking with friends.
The former Scottish rugby international Stuart Hogg has pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic abuse against his ex-wife yesterday
The father-of-four arrived at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday accompanied by his parents
Stuart Hogg, 32,previously captained the Scottish rugby team and was capped 100 times
Selkirk Sheriff Court heard Hogg admitted to sending 200 text messages in just a few hours following the break-up of his marriage (Hogg pictured in September)
Prosecutor Drew Long said Mrs Hogg became ‘scared’ of her husband ‘due to his behaviour when drinking’.
He added: ‘She described him as angry and controlling and said when he was drinking she would ‘wish it to be morning as quickly as possible so he would sober up and things would stop’.’
The court heard that when the Glasgow Warriors full-back joined Exeter Chiefs in Devon in 2019, his behaviour ‘deteriorated’ as he went out partying with colleagues.
Mr Long said: ‘He would regularly shout and swear at her, using particularly offensive language and criticising her for not being fun.
‘This would be in response to her wanting to look after her children rather than coming to drink with him and his friends.’
When the couple moved back to Hawick, Roxburghshire, in May 2023, Hogg began going out drinking more regularly.
In August that year it became obvious he had used an app to track where she was after he ‘questioned the whereabouts’ when she was dropping off the children.
Soon afterwards, she and the children moved in with her parents. Mr Long said: ‘She took advice from a domestic abuse advisory service and no longer felt safe in her home.’
Despite the break-up, she was still inundated with calls and texts.
In his text bombardments, Hogg would switch between ‘loving and being aggressive and hostile’.
Mr Long said: ‘Mr Hogg sent his wife a series of messages which were aggressive in tone and led her to having a panic attack.
‘Since the break-up there were days when Mr Hogg sent in excess of 200 text messages over a period of a few hours, despite having been asked to leave Mrs Hogg alone.’
The rugby player admitted a charge of domestic abuse under section one of the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act relating to ex-wife Gillian
Monday marked the first day of a scheduled three-day trial over the charges
In February this year Hogg entered the family home, the court was told, and swore at his wife in front of his children while being ‘belligerent about his right to be at the property’.
Mr Long added: ‘In response Mrs Hogg and the children hid in one of the children’s bedrooms.’
Hogg was later arrested and told not to contact his wife, but did so again. Angela Gray, KC, defending, said the incidents taken in isolation would have been ‘unlikely’ to have breached the threshold needed to reach the criminal court.
But she said: ‘Mr Hogg accepts these incidents in isolation fell short of what’s expected as a husband.’
The domestic abuse charge Hogg admitted said he repeatedly shouted, swore and acted in an aggressive manner, tracked her movements, sent her messages of an alarming and distressing nature, and made contact with her and approached her when banned from doing so.
After his guilty plea, Sheriff Peter Paterson told Hogg to return to court on December 5 for sentencing.
Leaving court, the shamed star refused to apologise to his victim – declining to answer questions.
Hogg, who was capped 100 times for Scotland, and his wife are now divorcing.
The former Scotland captain, who toured with the British and Irish Lions three times, shocked rugby fans when he unexpectedly retired last summer.
He went on to be made an MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours list for services to the sport.
He later returned to the game with French side Montpellier.
Hogg is now expecting a child with new girlfriend Leonna Mayor, 34, a former jockey and TV presenter.
Charlotte Woodward, of the National Centre for Domestic Violence, said: ‘Sportsmen are in a position of influence and there must be a clear message from employers that this behaviour has consequences.
‘In many other professions, offenders would face disciplinary action and sport should be no different.’
A Montpellier spokesman said: ‘The club will not comment at this time.’