Who is Joe Westerman? Ex-England rugby player caught in infamous Greggs alley lewd act scandal marries friend’s ex

Ex-England rugby international Joe Westerman is back in the headlines, almost four years since the sex scandal that ended his first marriage in ruins. Westerman, who was caught in a video while being engaged in a sexual act with a lady at the alleyway behind a Greggs Bakery, tied the knot again with Alison Hopkinson, reported to be a former wife of one of his friends. The duo recently got married in a small ceremony in Scarborough. The 36-year-old's marriage came as a big surprise for many because his own ex-wife, Lauren, has just gotten married.

WHO IS JOE WESTERMAN? INSIDE THE RUGBY STAR'S CAREER AND PERSONAL LIFE

Born on November 15, 1989, in Pontefract, England, Westerman rose to fame through his performances in Super League, especially when he played for Castleford Tigers.

Apart from Tigers, he played for several clubs, including Hull FC, Warrington Wolves, Toronto Wolfpack and Wakefield Trinity. He also represented the England national team, making his international debut against Samoa during the 2014 Four Nations tournament.

However, a huge controversy involving Westerman erupted in February 2023 when a seven-second video clip of him performing a sexual act with a woman in an alley near a Greggs bakery in Pontefract surfaced online and became viral within no time.

According to The Sun, the woman involved was believed to be a friend of his then-wife, Lauren, although her identity was never publicly confirmed.

There were serious repercussions of the incident in the life of Westerman, as his nine-year marriage to his childhood sweetheart ended. Both have three kids together.

Lauren publicly denied being the woman in the video and subsequently asked Westerman to leave their family home. The controversy also affected his rugby career. Castleford Tigers fined him and ordered him to undertake community service.

JOE WESTERMAN MARRIES ALISON HOPKINSON NEARLY FOUR YEARS AFTER GREGGS SCANDAL

According to multiple media reports, Westerman has now married 37-year-old estate agent Alison Hopkinson, who was reportedly previously married to one of his friends.

The couple began dating in 2023, following the collapse of Westerman's first marriage, and became engaged approximately two years before their wedding.

"A day we will never forget. Thank you to everyone who made it so special. Here's to our forever. The Westermans," Westerman wrote on Instagram while sharing photographs from the ceremony.

Meanwhile, his former wife Lauren has also moved on, recently marrying HGV mechanic Karl Holmes.

Speaking about her new marriage on Facebook, Lauren wrote:

"Someone once told me that you’ll only ever be happy in life if you marry your best friend and I feel so lucky to be doing just that."

The two weddings mark separate new chapters following a scandal that once dominated headlines across British rugby league.