Former Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg has appeared in court and been accused of a pattern of controlling behaviour towards his wife Gillian going back more than seven years.
The 31-year-old pleaded not guilty to a charge of stalking and also an offence under section one of the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act relating to his behaviour towards the mother of his four children who he is separated from.
He denied a total of three charges during the five minute hearing at Jedburgh Sheriff Court during which he spoke only once to confirm his name.
A trial date was fixed for July 30 and he was released on bail with special conditions not to contact his former partner and to stay away from her address near Hawick, Roxburghshire.
Hogg is charged with stalking by engaging in a course of conduct which caused his wife Gillian fear and alarm at properties in Glasgow and Hawick between January 2017 and March 2019.
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It is alleged he shouted and swore at her and acted in an aggressive manner, repeatedly accused her of infidelity, repeatedly tracked her movements, monitored her communication with others and repeatedly attempted to control family life.
Hogg is the former captain of Scotland (PA)The second charge under the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act alleges similar conduct between April 2019 and March 2024, at properties in Hawick and Devon.
It contains an additional allegation that he repeatedly sent her messages of an alarming and distressing nature whereby he made threats to harm himself.
The third charge against Hogg alleges that he had been released on an undertaking not to approach Gillian Hogg in any way apart from arranging child contact but it is claimed that on March 30 this year at her home near Hawick he contacted her.
Hogg has denied all the charges against him (AFP via Getty Images)After denying all the charges against him and receiving his bail papers, Hogg left the court building through a side door to avoid waiting photographers.
He was driven away by his parents John and Margaret Hogg and he sat in the back seat of the car covering himself with a jacket. Hogg retired from rugby union prior to last year's World Cup having amassed a century of senior caps and been involved in three British and Irish Lions tours.
He is Scotland's all-time leading try scorer and won national and European titles with both Glasgow Warriors and Exeter Chiefs.
Hogg was awarded an MBE in the 2024 New year Honours List for services to rugby union. Last week Hogg posted to his 184,000 followers on Instagram that he has "reset" at a rehabilitation clinic following his arrest in February after an in incident at his estranged wife's home a day when Scotland took the Calcutta Cup victory over England.
He wrote:"I was lost, needed help, direction, time away from the spotlight to be able to take a deep breath and think."
"I've been so concerned about what people thought of me, how I was coming across, the impact I would have on them and how I would survive the day. I lived every moment in my head and it wasn't healthy."
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"Spending time at a rehabilitation centre, allowed me to reset, learn about myself and talk about how I felt, without being judged."
"It's not been easy but it was the right thing to do."
"Taking accountability was the first step in the right direction. I accept I have made mistakes and understand why l acted as I did."
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