Former Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg has pleaded guilty to one charge of domestic abuse over a five-year period against his former partner.
Selkirk Sheriff Court heard Hogg’s behaviour left the mother of his children scared and wishing “for it to be morning as soon as possible”.
Hogg admitted sending 200 text messages in a few hours following the breakup of his marriage, and using phone apps to track his former partner’s location.
The court heard Hogg would regularly go out drinking with colleagues and come home and behave abusively, shouting and swearing at his ex-wife and accusing her of “not being fun” for choosing to stay upstairs with their children.
He stood in the dock on Monday wearing a bandage on his hand and a Remembrance Day poppy.
Mrs Hogg decided to leave the former Scotland captain and sought advice from a domestic abuse service, the hearing was told.
Defending Hogg, Angela Gray KC said the incidents in isolation “would have been unlikely to reach the threshold required for a prosecution in the criminal courts”.
But Ms Gray said Hogg accepted the incidents had “fallen short of what is expected of a husband”.
“It is accepted by Mr Hogg that his conduct, looked at within that framework (of Domestic Abuse Act 2018), was criminal in nature,” she added.
The court heard Hogg’s behaviour was “never intended to be abusive” and the couple’s “deteriorating” relationship was subject to additional “scrutiny placed on it”.
Hogg made his Scotland debut in 2012 and went on to make 100 appearances for his country, securing 171 points.
But in July last year he unexpectedly announced his immediate retirement from international rugby, having previously said he would quit after the World Cup.
In a statement at the time, he said he wanted to take up a new career after retirement.
Hogg, who plays for French club Montpellier, will be sentenced on December 5 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court. (SkySports)
