by FORMER Scottish rugby union captain Stuart Hogg has been sentenced to a community payback order after admitting abusing his estranged wife for five years.
He pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic violence against his ex-partner, Gillian Hogg, when he appeared at Selkirk Sheriff Court on November 4.
He admitted to shouting and swearing, tracking her movements and sending her messages of an alarming and distressing nature.
Sheriff Peter Paterson sentenced Hogg to a community payback order with a year’s supervision and a second five-year non-harassment order when he appeared at the same court for sentencing on Thursday.
He told Hogg the sentence was an “alternative to detention”.
Hogg made no comment as he left court accompanied by his parents.
Hogg was previously banned from approaching or contacting Ms Hogg for five years after he admitted breaching his bail conditions by contacting her several times in June, when one night she received 28 text messages from his part.
Sheriff Peter Paterson gave him a five-year non-harassment order when he convicted him of breaching bail conditions at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on December 5, and also fined him 600 £, with an additional victim surcharge of £40.
Hogg was also due to be sentenced for domestic violence last month, but Sheriff Paterson deferred sentencing until January 9 to clarify whether a community order with remote monitoring can be imposed as Hogg now lives overseas.
Regarding the domestic violence charge, the court previously heard the 32-year-old berated Ms Hogg for “not being fun” after she continued drinking with her colleagues, and sent her more than 200 text messages in the space of a few hours.
Hogg will appear at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday for sentencing.
READ MORE: Former Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg admits domestic abuse
He was due to stand trial at the same court in November, but pleaded guilty that day to a charge of domestic violence between 2019 and 2024, including in Hawick, on the Scottish borders.
Hogg, who plays for French club Montpellier, now lives abroad and is going through a divorce, the court heard that day.
Prosecutor Drew Long said the couple moved to Exeter in 2019 with their three young children, all aged under three, but Hogg’s “behavior deteriorated” as he went out to party .
Mr Long said Hogg would “yell, swear and accuse Ms Hogg of not being fun” for not drinking, and that her family “noticed a change in her”.
In 2022, Ms Hogg went out in the evening and was bombarded with text messages from her husband which “caught the attention of people she was with”, the court heard.
The following year the couple moved to Hawick in the Borders, but Hogg used an app to track his wife and “asked her where she was” while she was dropping the children off, Mr Long told the court .
Stuart Hogg pictured on Thursday (Image: PA) In 2023, Ms Hogg decides to quit rugby and seeks advice from a domestic violence service.
The court heard that in September 2023, Hogg sent so many messages that it led Ms Hogg to have a panic attack, and Hogg “sent more than 200 text messages in a matter of hours despite being asked for help.” leave it alone.”
On February 21 last year, police were called due to Hogg’s “screaming and swearing” and he was taken into custody and later placed on bail stipulating not to contact Ms Hogg or enter the family home.
Hogg retired from professional rugby in July 2023, but last summer it was announced he was returning after signing for Montpellier on a two-year contract.
The former Glasgow Warriors and Exeter Chiefs player was made an MBE for services to sport in last year’s New Year Honors list.
