Stuart Hogg: SNP MP Stephen Flynn says Honours Secretariat 'is firmly on the case' amid call to strip convicted rugby star of MBE
The Honours Secretariat is said to be "firmly on the case" amid an MP's call to strip rugby star Stuart Hogg of his MBE following his domestic abuse conviction.
The former Scotland rugby captain was last month handed a community payback order (CPO) for abusing his estranged wife, Gillian Hogg, between 2019 and 2024.
The sportsman admitted shouting and swearing, tracking her movements and sending her messages which were alarming and distressing in nature.
A court heard how he berated Mrs Hogg for "not being fun" after going on drinking binges with his colleagues, and once sent more than 200 text messages to her in the space of a few hours which caused her to suffer a panic attack.
At Selkirk Sheriff Court, he was sentenced to the CPO with one year of supervision and was handed a five-year non-harassment order.
Hogg was earlier additionally fined £600 for breaching bail conditions by repeatedly contacting his ex when prohibited by the court.
The nominations process is managed by the Honours and Appointments Secretariat, in the Cabinet Office government department.
MP Stephen Flynn, the SNP's Westminster leader, called for Hogg to be stripped of his MBE, which had been awarded for his services to rugby union in the 2024 New Year Honours list.
First Minister John Swinney backed his colleague, saying it was a "reasonable and understandable call".
On Tuesday, Mr Flynn 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."
According to the Cabinet Office website, it is possible to remove an honour on the advice of the forfeiture committee and with the approval of the sovereign.
Reasons to remove the honour 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.
Hogg made his Scotland debut in 2012 and went on to make 100 appearances for his country.
The former Glasgow Warriors and Exeter Chiefs, who plays for French club Montpellier, now lives abroad and is said to be in the process of getting a divorce.
Hogg had been due to stand trial last November, but pleaded guilty to the abuse which was said to have taken place at various locations including Hawick in the Scottish Borders and Bearsden in East Dunbartonshire.
Sheriff Peter Paterson warned Hogg the sentence was an "alternative to custody".
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