Stuart Hogg’s Exeter bosses shut down secret girlfriend’s pleas for help amid campaign of abuse

Exclusive:

The former girlfriend of star rugby player Stuart Hogg says she warned authorities about his abusive and harassing behaviour but took no action against him

Rugby chiefs ignored Jilly O’Donnell’s desperate pleas for help as ex-Scotland captain Stuart Hogg harassed her and sent hundreds of unwanted messages.

Shamed Hogg, convicted of a five year campaign of abuse against his wife, was also terrorising secret girlfriend Jilly at the same time. But she has revealed how bosses at Premiership side Exeter Chiefs told her they were not interested,

In an exclusive interview Jilly, who believed he was separated from wife Gillian, said: “As Stuart was successful on the pitch, people were prepared to let slide what he did off the field. I reached out to the club’s managing director because I was at a low point and I needed help. I contacted Natasha Pavis because she is female, hoping she would see my point. I was hoping they would speak to him and help. Instead, they told me their players’ personal lives were none of their concern.”

Once heralded as the golden boy of Scottish rugby with his famed number 15 jersey, Hogg, from Hawick was unmasked last week as a domestic abuser. The former Scotland captain admitted a five year campaign of abuse against now estranged wife Gillian – the mother of his four children.

He had also faced a charge of harassing ex-girlfriend of three years Jilly whom he had bombarded with calls and messages over a 17-month period after she broke off relationship.

After being hounded, mum-of-three Jilly wrote to Exeter Chiefs begging for help. But after dismissing her, Hogg’s abuse got worse as Jilly got even more unwanted messages and calls from Hogg.

The student nurse from Newcastle said: “They obviously spoke to him because I then got loads of calls and messages from him demanding an explanation.”

Parvis’ email response said: “Thank you for bringing your situation to my attention. It sounds like you have had a difficult time but I am afraid I am unable to get involved in any staff or players’ personal life. I do hope you get the help you need to recover from this experience.”

It was during the pandemic in 2020, that Jilly, 47, from Newcastle, first met Hogg when he started liking her photographs on Instagram. A single parent to three adult children, she said she was in a vulnerable position during lockdown but was flattered by the attention of Hogg, who was 15 years younger than her.

Yesterday, Jilly told our sister paper the Daily Record how she’d been in a three-year relationship with Hogg who told him he had seperated from his wife. She revealed how it ended when she saw him speaking in a TV interview that she was pregnant with his fourth child.

The Glasgow Warriors full-back joined Exeter Chiefs in Devon in 2019 until 2023 where he played 69 times for the club, reportedly earning around £580,000 annually.

Hogg and his wife, who married in 2016, had moved to Exeter that year with their three young children. The player retired from professional rugby and the couple returned to Hawick in April 2023.

Jilly paints a picture of a man who would often manipulate those around him, blaming alcohol to excuse his behaviour. The former Scotland full-back admitted earlier this year that he had attended a rehabilitation centre to “reset” after being arrested in February.

Jilly said: “His drinking was out of control. He was always the last man standing in the pub. After good games, they would celebrate. Partners would be there, they would leave and go home but he would still be there.

“The next day, he wouldn’t ever remember what he’d done the night before and would turn up to training to find out if he had been a laugh or an idiot. He messaged me once to say his marriage would definitely be over when he returned home drunk.

“When I found out his wife was pregnant, who he had told me he was separated from, he said ‘you know what I’m like when I’m drunk.’ He blames anxiety, his mental health. I’d tell him it was caused by his drinking. He is always the victim. He is never at fault, he will never accept his part. He would behave badly, then come on blaming himself at first.

“He’d call or message saying ‘I’m a terrible person.’ I’d start by saying ‘yes you are’ then somehow, I’d end up apologising to him telling him he was a brilliant person. I’d end up reassuring him.”

Hogg, who now plays for French club Montpellier, appeared in court last week where he admitted to a campaign of abuse against his estranged wife, Gillian spanning from 2019 to 2024. He admitted that he “did shout and swear in an aggressive manner, track her movements (and) send her messages which were alarming and distressing in nature”.

Hogg also berated his wife for “not being fun” and sent more than 200 text messages in a few hours despite having been asked to leave her alone. The court heard that Hogg’s drinking had left his former wife scared of his behaviour and wishing for morning to come so he would sober up.

The couple are now divorcing. Hogg, 32, from Hawick, had also faced a charge against his former girlfriend of three years, Jilly, but a plea deal with prosecutors means Jilly was denied the opportunity to tell the court how she suffered.

Both Exeter Chiefs and Hogg refused to comment.