(Source : AP) A woman who accused mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor of “brutally raping and battering” her in a Dublin hotel penthouse was awarded nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) by a civil court jury in Ireland on Friday.
Nikita Hand recounted that the assault on December 9, 2018, following a night of celebrations, left her with severe bruises and struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.
McGregor maintained that he never coerced the woman and claimed she fabricated the story after they engaged in consensual sex. His attorney labeled Hand a gold digger. The fighter, once a prominent figure in the Ultimate Fighting Championship but now past his peak, shook his head as the jury, consisting of eight women and four men, found him liable for assault after approximately six hours of deliberation in the High Court in Dublin.
As he exited the court, he was surrounded by cameras but chose not to comment. Later, he expressed on the social platform X his intention to appeal the verdict.
Nikita Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, left the High Court in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday, November 22, 2024, after a civil jury found that Conor McGregor sexually assaulted her in a hotel penthouse following a night of heavy partying.
During his closing arguments, her attorney informed the jury that McGregor’s aggression stemmed from a recent loss he had suffered in Las Vegas, which he took out on his client. “He’s not a man; he’s a coward,” attorney John Gordon declared. “A deceitful coward, and you should recognize him for what he truly is.” Gordon emphasized that his client never claimed to be perfect; she simply sought a good time when she reached out to McGregor via Instagram after a Christmas party. He noted that Hand and McGregor were familiar with each other socially, having grown up in the same neighborhood.
Hand recounted how McGregor picked her and a friend up in his car, sharing cocaine with them on their way to the Beacon Hotel, a fact McGregor acknowledged in court. She stated that she informed McGregor she was not interested in sex and was menstruating. Despite her repeated refusals, he began kissing her and ultimately restrained her on the bed, rendering her unable to escape.
According to Hand, McGregor placed her in a chokehold and taunted her, saying, “now you know how I felt in the octagon where I tapped out three times,” referencing a UFC match where he had to concede defeat.
Nikita Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, spoke to the media outside the High Court in Dublin, Ireland, on November 22, 2024, after a civil jury determined that mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor had sexually assaulted her in a hotel penthouse following a night of heavy partying.
With her voice trembling and hands shaking, Hand read a statement outside the courthouse, expressing that while she would never forget the ordeal, she could now begin to move forward with her life. She expressed gratitude to her family, partner, friends, jurors, the judge, and all the online supporters, especially her daughter. She explained, “She has given me so much strength and courage over the last six years throughout this nightmare to keep on pushing forward for justice. I want to show her and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.”
Throughout her emotional testimony over three days, Hand had to pause several times. She recounted that McGregor threatened her life during the incident, leaving her terrified that she might never see her young daughter again.
“I remember apologizing, feeling as though I had done something wrong, wanting to assure him that I wouldn’t tell anyone so he wouldn’t harm me again,” she testified. She recounted allowing him to proceed, to have sex with her. A paramedic who assessed Hand the following day testified that she had never encountered bruising of such severity before. A physician informed the jurors that Hand sustained multiple injuries. Hand expressed that the trauma from the incident rendered her unable to continue her work as a hairdresser, causing her to fall behind on her mortgage and ultimately necessitating her move from her home.
Although police looked into the woman’s allegations, prosecutors opted not to file charges, citing a lack of sufficient evidence and the improbability of a conviction. In a post on X, McGregor expressed his disappointment that jurors did not consider all the evidence reviewed by the prosecution. He claimed that their encounter was athletic and vigorous but not rough, asserting that she never indicated consent was withdrawn and labeled her statements as false. “It is a full-blown lie among many lies,” he stated when questioned about the chokehold claim. “How could anyone believe that I, as a prideful person, would highlight my shortcomings?”
McGregor’s attorney urged jurors to put aside any personal feelings they might have towards the fighter. “You may have a strong dislike for him; some of you may even detest him – there’s no point in pretending otherwise,” attorney Remy Farrell remarked. “I’m not asking you to invite him to Sunday brunch.”
According to the AP, the defense pointed out that the woman did not inform investigators that McGregor had threatened her life. They also presented surveillance footage in court that they claimed showed her kissing McGregor’s arm and embracing him after leaving the hotel room, with Farrell noting she appeared “happy, happy, happy.”
McGregor described feeling “beyond petrified” when he was first questioned by police and provided them with a prepared statement. Following his lawyer’s advice, he declined to answer over 100 additional questions. The jury ultimately ruled against Hand in her case against McGregor’s friend, James Lawrence, whom she accused of engaging in non-consensual sex with her in the hotel.
