Rugby star Stuart Hogg admits domestic abuse of estranged wife

Former Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg has pleaded guilty to a domestic abuse charge against his estranged wife.

Hogg admitted shouting and swearing and acting in an abusive manner towards his wife Gillian when he appeared at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

He also admitted repeatedly tracking her movements and sending messages of an alarming and distressing nature.

The court heard that the former Hawick and Glasgow Warriors player, who was capped 100 times for Scotland, once sent more than 200 messages in a couple of hours. Sheriff Peter Paterson deferred sentence until 5 December for background reports.

Hogg, who currently plays for Montpellier in France, admitted a single charge which related to repeated abusive behaviour towards his now estranged wife.

Over a five-year period, up to August of this year, he engaged in a course of conduct which caused her fear or alarm.

The court heard how the 32-year-old regularly shouted and swore at his wife while they lived in Hawick and Glasgow, as well as when they lived in Exeter while Hogg played for Exeter Chiefs.

At one point it caused her to have a panic attack – and she eventually took advice from domestic abuse services.

The charge also involved Hogg monitoring his wife’s movements through the Find My Phone app after they had split up in 2023, and him sending her sometimes hundreds of text messages in the space of a few hours.

Sentence has been deferred until 5 December, when a full mitigation will be provided by Hogg’s legal team.

Sheriff Peter Paterson allowed him bail until that date to await reports, including a restriction of liberty assessment.

The fullback retired from rugby union before last year’s World Cup having amassed a century of senior caps and been involved in three British and Irish Lions tours.

He remains one of Scotland’s all-time leading try scorers and was awarded an MBE in the 2024 New Year honours list for services to rugby union.

He came out of retirement in the summer to sign a two-year contract with Montpellier.