FORMER Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg will stand trial next month accused of stalking two women, including his estranged wife.
The 32-year-old from Hawick, Roxburghshire, adhered to his not guilty plea to a total of six charges at an intermediate hearing yesterday at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.
There was confusion during the short hearing when Hogg was not in attendance.
Defence lawyer Ross Dow said it had been agreed to deal with the matter administratively at a preliminary intermediate diet earlier this month and Hogg was told by his legal representative that he did not need to attend.
But the case called in open court as the agreement from the preliminary intermediate diet had not been received in time by the sheriff clerk’s department.
Stuart Hogg has denied six charges against him and will stand trial next month
Prosecutor India McLean said that technically Hogg should have been in court anyway as there was a deferred sentence case after he admitted breaching his bail conditions running alongside the trial matter.
However Sheriff Peter Paterson said they were ‘not going to get excited’ about Hogg’s non-appearance and continued the case to the trial diet at Selkirk Sheriff Court on November 4.
Hogg is charged with attempting to approach or contact Gillian Hogg, the mother of his four children on two occasions in August – despite a court order forbidding it.
It is alleged he used a video call on August 12 as a means of speaking directly to his estranged wife in the charge against her will.
On August 17 he is accused of parking his car in such a way as to prevent Gillian from leaving an address in Hawick, where he is said to have approached and spoken directly to her.
Former Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg was not present at Jedburgh Sheriff Court
Hogg is also charged with engaging in a course of conduct which caused a second named woman, Jill O’Donnell, fear or alarm, at addresses in Hawick and elsewhere, between April 1 last year and August 23 this year.
It is claimed he repeatedly phoned her at anti-social hours, sent her messages of an alarming and distressing nature, and repeatedly contacted her having been asked not to do so.
Hogg is also facing a stalking charge involving his estranged wife and accused of engaging in a course of behaviour that was abusive to her over a seven-year period between 2017 and 2024.
He is alleged to have tracked her movements, monitored her communications and repeatedly attempted to control family life.
The athlete is also accused of shouting, swearing and acting aggressively towards her, and of repeatedly accusing her of infidelity.
Hogg – who won more than 100 caps for Scotland – continues to deny all six charges against him.
They are two stalking offences, a charge under the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act which alleges engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive to a partner or ex-partner, two breaches of bail and failing to comply with an undertaking.
The father-of-four unexpectedly retired from the sport last year and was awarded an MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to rugby union.
He has since come out of retirement and joined French side Montpellier.
