Former Wigan Warriors star Gareth Hock denies rapes, assaults and other criminal offences

The 39-year-old is accused of 12 crimes in total, including two rapes, five counts of causing actual bodily harm, assault by beating, coercive, controlling behaviour and perverting the course of justice.

He entered not guilty pleas to all the above, having previously denied leaving the scene of a road smash and failing to report such an incident at an earlier magistrates’ court hearing.

Wearing a long coat and trousers, Hock spoke only to confirm his name and deny all the charges put to him at Bolton Crown court during a 15-minute hearing.

A 10-day trial was set by Judge Martin Walsh for April 15 2024 where the ex-Super League forward will be questioned by prosecutors, although there will first be a review hearing on May 28 this year.

He was bailed under specific conditions that included surrendering his passport, wearing a GPS tracking tag and sleeping every night at his home address.

Judge Walsh told Hock: “If you fail to attend when you are required to attend court, you’ll commit an offence for which you could be arrested and punished.

“If you fail to attend on the day fixed for trial, the trial could take place in your absence. Bail is granted to you subject to the conditions I have outlined.”

As far as the motoring offence charges are concerned, it is alleged that Hock was at the wheel of an Audi A6 which crashed on Gathurst Road in Orrell, on November 11 2022 and then drove off without stopping.

Hock began his career with his hometown club Wigan Warriors in 2003 and made almost 200 appearances for the Cherry and Whites.

He earned four caps for Great Britain and five for England, for whom he played in the 2008 world cup in Australia.

He later went on to play for Widnes, Salford, Featherstone, Barrow and Leigh.

He retired as a player in 2019 after he made a total of 313 career appearances, scoring 81 tries.

In 2022, he set up a new business venture hiring out skips.