Date set for Stuart Hogg’s domestic abuse trial

Stuart Hogg, the former Scotland rugby captain, will face a domestic abuse trial next month.
He maintained his pleas of not guilty to three charges involving his wife, Gillian Hogg, at an intermediate trial hearing at Jedburgh sheriff court on Monday.
Hogg, 32, was excused attendance for the hearing, which confirmed the trial date to be September 10.
His lawyer, Mat Patrick, said: “There have been quite immense discussions going on about this case just to make sure things go smoothly.
“There had been a problem with disclosure in this case, but I am satisfied [that we] have everything now and we can proceed to the trial date.”
The trial is thought likely to last “at least a day”.
Hogg, formerly Scotland’s leading try scorer, is charged with stalking his estranged wife at properties in Glasgow and Hawick between January 2017 and March 2019.
It is alleged that he shouted and swore at her and acted aggressively, repeatedly accused her of infidelity, repeatedly tracked her movements, monitored her communication with others and repeatedly attempted to control family life.
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 Hogg repeatedly sent her messages of an alarming and distressing nature in which he made threats to harm himself.
A third charge against Hogg alleges that he had been released on an undertaking not to approach the mother of his four children in any way, apart from arranging child contact, but it is claimed that on March 30 this year he contacted her at her home in Hawick.
Hogg spent a night in the cells and appeared from custody at Jedburgh sheriff court last month when he pleaded guilty to breaching a court order by repeatedly contacting Gillian.
Sentence has been deferred on that offence until the outcome of the trial.
The former Scotland captain retired from rugby union before last year’s World Cup, having amassed a century of senior caps and been involved in three British and Irish Lions tours.
He has also won national and European titles with both Glasgow Warriors and Exeter Chiefs.
Hogg was appointed MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours List for services to rugby union.
He has since announced he is coming out of retirement but is injured. Hogg is due to play for French side Montpellier this season.