Stuart Hogg pleads guilty to domestic abuse of estranged wife over five years

Former Scotland rugby player Stuart Hogg has acknowledged that he mistreated his estranged wife over a period of five years.

Hogg, 32, was scheduled to go on trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday. However, when he showed up in court, he admitted guilt to one charge.

The father of four appeared in court with his parents, Margaret and John, where he confessed to a single count of domestic abuse occurring between 2019 and 2024 at various locations, including Hawick in the Scottish Borders and Bearsden, Glasgow. The former Scotland captain, currently playing for the French team Montpellier, now resides overseas and is undergoing divorce proceedings, according to the court.

Hogg appeared in court with a bandaged hand and a Remembrance Day poppy pinned on, where he acknowledged one accusation against him. The charge stated that he had participated in a pattern of behavior that was abusive towards his former partner, Gillian Hogg. He admitted to shouting and swearing aggressively, following her whereabouts, and sending her messages that were alarming and distressing.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Hogg scolded his wife for being “boring” after going on drinking sprees with his work friends. He reportedly sent her over 200 text messages in just a few hours, even after she had requested that he stop contacting her. As a result of the constant messages, Mrs. Hogg experienced a panic attack. Prosecutor Drew Long stated that the couple had disagreements about their living situation, with Hogg expressing dissatisfaction with his wife for not being more enjoyable while they were raising three children who were all under three years old.

Mr. Long informed the court that Stuart Hogg and Gillian Hogg are a married couple currently going through a divorce. They have four children together. Throughout their marriage, they resided in Hawick, the Scottish Borders, Glasgow, and Exeter, eventually returning to the Borders where they separated in 2023. They had been living in Glasgow to help advance Hogg’s career, but often disagreed about the best place for their family to live.

He mentioned that Mrs. Hogg felt “afraid” of her husband when he lost his temper and would often “hope it was morning so he would be sober again.” Mr. Long explained that the couple relocated to Exeter in 2019 along with their three young children, all under the age of three, but that Hogg’s “behavior declined” as he started going out to party with his coworkers.

The prosecutor informed the court that Hogg would yell, curse, and blame his wife for not participating in drinking, describing her as “not fun.” Furthermore, it was noted that Mrs. Hogg’s family observed a shift in her behavior. In 2022, during a night out, she received a flurry of text messages from her husband that drew the notice of her companions, as reported in court.

The next year, the couple relocated to Hawick. However, Hogg was using an app to monitor his wife and would "inquire about her location" when she took the kids to school, Mr. Long explained in court.

In 2023, Mrs. Hogg made the choice to end her relationship with the rugby player and reached out for help from a domestic abuse organization, according to the court. The prosecutor stated that in September 2023, Hogg inundated her with messages, which caused her to experience a panic attack. It was noted that he sent over 200 text messages in just a few hours, even after she requested that he stop contacting her.

In February 2024, Hogg disregarded warnings and entered the family home, becoming confrontational. Mrs. Hogg decided to obtain legal counsel, as the court revealed. On February 21, police were summoned after Hogg was reported for "shouting and swearing." He was arrested and subsequently placed under a bail order, which prohibited him from contacting her or entering the family residence. The court also noted that in August 2024, during a video call with his children, Hogg asked them to hand the device to Mrs. Hogg, despite the restrictions against contacting her.

In support of Hogg, Angela Gray KC stated: “If we consider each incident individually, they likely wouldn’t have met the criteria for a criminal charge in court. Mr. Hogg acknowledges that these incidents, when viewed alone, don’t meet the standards expected of a spouse. He also understands that his actions, when assessed under the context of the Domestic Abuse Act 2018, were indeed criminal.”

She mentioned that the "failing" relationship had come under increased "examination," and according to Hogg, his actions were "not meant to be abusive," as stated in court.

The case has been postponed until December 5th at the Jedburgh Sheriff Court. Sheriff Peter Paterson stated, "You must continue to follow the bail conditions that were established earlier."