Stuart Hogg: Former Scotland rugby captain gets community order after admitting to abusing estranged wife

The 32-year-old was sentenced to a community payback order with one year of supervision as an alternative to custody.

Hogg pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic abuse at Selkirk Sheriff Court in November, acknowledging he had shouted and sworn at his wife, tracked her movements, and sent distressing messages. The abuse occurred between 2019 and 2024 at locations including Hawick in the Scottish Borders.

At Selkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday, Sheriff Peter Paterson described the community order as an “alternative to custody” and also imposed a non-harassment order barring Hogg from contacting or approaching Mrs Hogg for five years. A review of the order has been scheduled for March 25 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Hogg, who now lives abroad and plays for French club Montpellier, made no comment as he left the court, accompanied by his parents.

The court heard that Hogg’s behaviour worsened after the family moved to Exeter in 2019. Prosecutor Drew Long said Hogg would go on drinking binges with colleagues, berate Mrs Hogg for “not being fun,” and bombard her with excessive text messages. On one occasion in 2023, he sent over 200 messages in just a few hours, causing her to have a panic attack.

Hogg’s actions escalated further after the family moved back to Hawick, where he used an app to track Mrs. Hogg’s movements and questioned her whereabouts. Mrs Hogg eventually sought advice from a domestic abuse service and left the relationship.

In February 2023, police were called to the family home after Hogg was reported shouting and swearing. He was subsequently taken into custody and placed under a bail order that prohibited contact with his wife.

Last December, Hogg was fined £600 and given an initial five-year non-harassment order after admitting to breaching bail conditions by contacting Mrs. Hogg On one night in June, she received 28 texts from him in violation of the order.

Following the sentencing, Lynne Barrie, procurator fiscal for Lothian and Borders, said: “Stuart Hogg has now been convicted and held accountable for subjecting his estranged wife to years of domestic abuse. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service recognises the devastating impact of domestic abuse and is committed to the robust prosecution of offences, regardless of who the offender is.”

Police Scotland Detective Sergeant Jade Wardell added: “Domestic abuse in any form is completely unacceptable. Without the victim coming forward and reporting these incidents to us, we would not have been able to ensure that Hogg faces the consequences.”

Hogg retired from professional rugby in July 2023 but later returned to the sport, signing a two-year contract with Montpellier. In 2023, he was awarded an MBE for services to rugby.