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The former Scotland captain tracked his estranged wife’s movements and sent her ‘alarming’ messages
There are renewed calls for former Scotland rugby international Stuart Hogg to be stripped of his MBE, one year on from being convicted of domestic abuse against his estranged wife.
In November 2024, the 33-year-old full-back – who now plays for French Top 14 side Montpellier – pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic abuse against his ex-wife Gillian over a five-year period. A court heard how Hogg shouted and swore at his former partner, tracked her movements and sent her messages which were ‘alarming and distressing’ in nature.
The former British & Irish Lions tourist was spared jail, but was sentenced to a community payback order (CPO) with one year of supervision, while he was also banned from approaching or contacting Gillian for five years.
In the wake of his conviction, there were widespread calls for Hogg to lose the MBE he was awarded in the 2024 New Year Honours list for services to rugby, with Scottish First Minister John Swinney saying such calls were “reasonable and understandable”.
At the time, the SNP’s Commons leader Stephen Flynn said officials were “firmly on the case” of stripping the former Scotland skipper of the honour, as he called on Cabinet Office bosses to reach an “imminent” decision.
However, a year on, Hogg has kept his MBE, leading a Scottish branch of a leading domestic abuse charity to warn that a dangerous precedent has been set.
In a statement, Glasgow Women’s Aid said it is “deeply troubling” that Hogg still has an MBE and warned that the situation sends a message that domestic abuse “does not carry serious consequences” and that abusers will not face real accountability.
“Instead of a custodial sentence, Hogg received a Community Payback Order with supervision and a five-year non-harassment order,” the statement read.
“The sentence was markedly lenient in comparison with the severity of the abuse, which included coercive control and threatening behaviour such as shouting and swearing at, tracking the movements of, and sending excess of 200 text messages to his former partner — despite being asked to leave her alone.”
“Not only was this a lenient sentence, but a year on he still holds an MBE,” the statement continued. “This sets a troubling precedent.
“It sends the message that coercive control and domestic abuse do not carry serious consequences, that fame or financial means can allow abusers to evade real accountability, and risks emboldening other perpetrators of abuse.”
Pointing to guidance from the Honours Forfeiture Committee, which states that those who receive honours are expected to “remain good citizens and role models,” the organisation added: “Glasgow Women’s Aid stand with not only Hogg’s former partner but also the children who were subject to a home environment marked by fear and trauma.”
The renewed calls come days after it was revealed that Hogg had split from his girlfriend Leonna Mayor, less than a year after they welcomed a son together.
The former Scotland international went public with his relationship with the jockey and TV presenter in November 2023, just days after Gillian had given birth to their fourth child.
However, after welcoming a child of their own, Teddy, in February last year, Mayor and Hogg have gone their separate ways, as she confirmed their split on Instagram.
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