Honours secretariat looking into stripping Stuart Hogg of MBE after domestic abuse conviction

Former Scotland rugby captain Hogg pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic abuse against his estranged wife, Gillian last year, and admitted shouting and swearing, tracking her movements and sending her messages, which were described as alarming and distressing in nature.

The First Minister John Swinney and the SNP Westminster leader both called for him to be stripped of his MBE, and The Scotsman understands the Honours Secretariat are now aware of the conviction for Mr Hogg, and considering how to respond to it.

Speaking to The Scotsman, Stephen Flynn urged the forfeiture committee to take action.

He said: “It was important that this issue was raised at the highest level possible, and I’m glad that the Honours Secretariat is firmly on the case and I look forward to a timely decision being taken.

“I've raised this matter in the Commons and directly with the Honours authorities and, whilst I appreciate they have processes to undertake, it’s clear to everyone that the forfeiture committee must live up to their name and remove Stuart Hogg’s honour.

“There are simply no circumstances in which we should celebrate an individual found guilty of domestic abuse and I hope a decision is reached imminently.”

Hogg received his MBE in the 2023 New Year’s Honours for his services to rugby. He was awarded the RBS Six Nations player of the Championship in both 2016 and 2017. In 2021 he was inducted into the RugbyPass Hall of Fame.

According to the Cabinet Office website, honours can be taken away from people who have done something to damage the honours system’s reputation. Taking an honour away is called “forfeiture”. The Honours Secretariat expects recipients to be and remain “good citizens and role models”.

Reasons to remove it can include being found guilty of a criminal offence, behaviour which results in censure by a regulatory or a professional body, or any other behaviour that is deemed to bring the honours system into disrepute.

Speaking at the sentencing, Sheriff Paterson had told former rugby star Hogg the sentence was an “alternative to custody”.

Giving evidence in court, prosecutor Drew Long said the couple moved to Exeter in 2019 with their three young children, all under three, but Hogg’s “behaviour deteriorated” as he went out partying.

Mr Long said Hogg would “shout and swear and accuse Mrs Hogg of not being fun” for not joining in drinking, and that her family “noticed a change in her”.

The court heard that in September 2023, Hogg sent so many messages it led Mrs Hogg to have a panic attack, and Hogg “sent in excess of 200 texts in a few hours despite being asked to leave her alone”.

Hogg had already been banned from approaching or contacting Mrs Hogg for five years in December after he admitted breaching bail conditions by repeatedly contacting her in June, when one night she received 28 texts from him.

The couple separated in 2023 and Ms Hogg sought advice from a domestic abuse service.

Hogg now lives abroad and plays for French club Montpellier, and the court heard he is in the process of a divorce.

The Cabinet Office declined to comment.