A woman who accused Conor McGregor of sexually assaulting her in 2018 has won her civil case against the UFC fighter in court.
“The Notorious” has been at the center of a serious sexual assault case in recent weeks, with accusations from Dublin-based hairdresser Nikita Hand, who also implicated a person named James Lawrence in the ordeal.
A jury at Dublin’s High Court found that McGregor had assaulted Hand on Friday. The Irishman made no comment as he quickly exited the court following the verdict.
Hand, meanwhile, did address the media in the aftermath, describing her ordeal in the years leading up to the court win this week.
“I would like to start off by saying I’m overwhelmed and touched by the support I have received from everybody,” she said. “I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be: Speak up, you have a voice and keep on fighting for justice.”
McGregor testified at the High Court in Dublin last Wednesday, addressing a civil lawsuit in which he was accused by Hand of raping her in a penthouse suite at the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford, Dublin on Dec. 9, 2018.
For the first time during the trial, the former two-division UFC champion took the stand and testified that his encounter with Hand was entirely consensual, following prior online conversations, and firmly denied ever coercing anyone into an act against their will.
“Your client is full of lies,” McGregor said to Hand’s lawyer. “Everything is a lie.”
McGregor also categorically rejected any claims of inflicting bruising on Hand. The UFC icon was accused of restraining her on the bed, with the alleged victim unable to fight back. However, the Irishman’s defense team consistently argued that the accuser was attempting to exploit the situation and profit from a distorted version of events.
Hand claimed that on the evening in dispute, she was with McGregor and that his behavior grew progressively aggressive after they went to the hotel room following a Christmas party. She stated that she and a woman named Danielle had consumed drugs and alcohol offered by the UFC fighter.
The allegations in question first emerged in December 2018, but no charges were brought against McGregor until January 2021, following a two-year investigation by Irish authorities. Despite the lengthy probe, McGregor was not prosecuted.
A personal injury lawsuit was filed in the same month, and in October 2023, a civil trial date was set, with Hand seeking and now being awarded damages amounting to €248,603 (£206,000).
