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Conor McGregor, former UFC champion and one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts fighting, has been ordered to pay more than 250,000 Euros (approximately C$360,000) to a woman who accused him of raping her at a hotel in Dublin in 2018.
McGregor, whose civil case played out in Ireland’s high court, must hand over the funds damages to Nikita Hand, who also goes by Nikita Ní Laimhín.
Hand previously said McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her on Dec. 9, 2018. The assault happened after a night of partying left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, she said.
McGregor testified that he never forced the woman to do anything against her will and said she fabricated the allegations after the two had consensual sex. His lawyer had called Hand a gold digger.
Speaking outside the court after the two-week trial, Hand thanked her family and a member of the rape crisis centre, who sat at her side during the course of the trial, reports The Guardian.
Nikita Hand speaks to the media outside the High Court in Dublin after the personal injury case against Conor McGregor.
Brian Lawless/PA Images via Getty Images
Referring to her daughter, she said: “I want to show Freya 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.
“To all the victims of sexual assault, 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 was mobbed by cameras as he left court but did not comment. He later said on the social platform X that he would appeal the verdict and the “modest award.”
During the trial, Hand’s lawyer told jurors that the fighter was angry about a fight he had lost in Las Vegas two months earlier and took it out on his client.
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“He’s not a man, he’s a coward,” lawyer John Gordon said in his closing speech. “A devious coward and you should treat him for what he is.”
Gordon said his client never pretended to be a saint and was only looking to have fun when she sent McGregor a message through Instagram after attending a Christmas party. He said Hand knew McGregor socially and that they had grown up in the same area.
She said he picked her and a friend up in a car and shared cocaine with them, which McGregor admitted in court, on the way to the Beacon Hotel.
Hand said she told McGregor she didn’t want to have sex with him and that she was menstruating. She said she told him “no” as he started kissing her but he eventually pinned her to a bed and she couldn’t move.
McGregor put her in a chokehold and later told her, “Now you know how I felt in the octagon where I tapped out three times,” referring to a UFC match when he had to admit defeat, she said.
Hand had to take several breaks in emotional testimony over three days. She said McGregor threatened to kill her during the encounter and she feared she would never see her young daughter again.
Eventually, he let go of her.
“I remember saying I was sorry, as I felt that I did something wrong and I wanted to reassure him that I wouldn’t tell anyone so he wouldn’t hurt me again,” she testified.
She said she then let him do what he wanted and he had sex with her.
Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor and partner Dee Devlin outside the High Court in Dublin.
Brian Lawless/PA Images via Getty Images
A doctor and paramedic who treated Hand following the rape testified, confirming multiple injuries consistent with her claims. The paramedic said she had never seen that intensity of bruising before.
Hand also alleged that another man, James Lawrence, who joined the party, sexually assaulted her. The jury found that Lawrence did not assault Hand.
McGregor has not fought since a July 2021 TKO loss to Dustin Poirier. It’s been more than eight years since he most recently held a UFC title, which was stripped from him for failure to defend.
Hand’s lawyer told the court that his client took the civil court case primarily to be vindicated, after public prosecutors said a criminal conviction was unlikely due to insufficient evidence.
On X, McGregor wrote that he was disappointed jurors didn’t see all the evidence the prosecutors had reviewed.
— with files from The Associated Press
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.
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