Hogg abuse ‘incredibly disappointing’, says Swinney

The domestic abuse perpetrated by former Scotland rugby union captain Stuart Hogg against his estranged wife is “incredibly disappointing”, Scotland’s First Minister has said, as he described calls for his MBE to be stripped as “reasonable and understandable”.

Hogg was sentenced to a community payback order with one year of supervision after he admitted abusing his ex-partner, Gillian Hogg, over the course of five years.

The sentencing came on Thursday at Selkirk Sheriff Court after Hogg, 32, pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic abuse in November.

He admitted shouting and swearing, tracking her movements and sending her messages which were alarming and distressing in nature.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, John Swinney was asked how he personally felt that someone once regarded as a sporting hero had committed such a crime.

“Very disappointing, incredibly disappointing,” he said.

In the wake of the sentencing, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called for the rugby player’s MBE, awarded in last year’s New Year Honours list, to be stripped from him.

Asked if he agreed with Mr Flynn, the First Minister said: “I think that’s a reasonable and understandable call that Stephen Flynn has made.”

Mr Swinney added: “I think it’s absolutely reprehensible for men to behave badly in any circumstance of life and one example of that will be domestic abuse.”

One of his responsibilities as a male First Minister, he said, was to provide “leadership” for men to “behave better in our society”.

Mr Swinney, however, refused to be drawn on whether the sentencing of Hogg – who was also handed a non-harassment order barring him from contacting or approaching his ex-partner for five years – as too lenient.

“Please don’t take it from me that I’m dismissing your concerns – I just don’t think it’s really appropriate for the First Minister to comment about sentencing decisions,” he said.