Stuart Hogg charged with stalking second woman as new alleged ...

11 Sep 2024
Stuart Hogg

Stuart Hogg faces charges of stalking a second woman ahead of a trial over domestic abuse charges against his estranged wife.

The 32-year-old former Scotland captain was arrested for the third time this year on Tuesday, having been due to stand trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court that day. However, that trial has been pushed back to November following his arrest for breach of bail.

In addition to the existing charges, Hogg has been charged with new offences. They include allegations that he caused a second woman, Jill O'Donnell, fear or alarm on April 1, 2023 and August 23, 2024.

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Hogg is alleged to have "repeatedly" telephoned the woman and sent her "alarming and distressing" messages, despite having been asked not to contact her. He denies the charges.

The Montpellier full-back has also been charged with two new breach of bail offences involving his estranged wife Gillian.

In November, Hogg was charged with engaging in a course of conduct that caused his ex-wife “fear and alarm” over a seven-year period between 2017 and 2024. The accusations against him include that he acted in a controlling manner towards her, repeatedly tracked her movements, and monitored her communication with others, while he is also accused of shouting, swearing and acting aggressively towards her, and of repeatedly accusing her of infidelity. He denies the charges.

However, he was arrested again after allegedly making contact with his ex, and has been accused of a further charge of stalking, and two charges of breaching his bail conditions.

The new charges allege that on August 23 he repeatedly telephoned and messaged Gillian before breaching bail conditions on August 12 by contacting her via video call. He is also alleged to have parked his car in a way that prevented her from driving away and speaking to her on August 17.

Hogg denies all three of the new charges, and will face trial for these and the three existing charges against him in November.

During the hearing at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, advocate depute Drew Long called for Hogg to be remanded in custody ahead of the trial, saying the rugby star was accused of breaching his bail conditions despite "being placed under an undertaking" not to do so.

Hogg's representative Mat Patrick told the court his client maintained his innocence in relation to each of the three charges.

He added that the additional allegations contained no "violence or even threat of violence, and I think it's worth mentioning that the complainer in one of her statements explicitly states that".

He said: "Whatever happened in this case seems to have arisen because Mr Hogg is allowed contact with his children, and there is no prohibition on him going to the property where his children were residing at that time."

Judge Sheriff Peter Paterson told Hogg: "It seems to me that part of this may be your desire to see your children, and for that reason you are going to be released on bail.

"But you are not to enter (her house) and you are not to approach, attempt to approach, or contact Gillian Hogg in any way. That means you can say absolutely nothing to her at all under any circumstances."

There will be a be a preliminary hearing on October 4, followed by an intermediate diet on October 21 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court. A trial is then scheduled to take place on November 4, 5 and 8 at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

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