Conor McGregor decision: Irish attacked UFC star Nikita Hand

Conor McGregor was found by a jury to have assaulted Nikita Hand, who is accused of raping him at a hotel in Dublin in December 2018.

In its verdict on Friday, November 22, the jury said McGregor attacked Hand.

However, the jury also stated in its verdict that McGregor’s friend James Lawrence, whom Hand also accused, did not attack the woman.

Hand will be paid a total compensation of 248,603.60 Euros, 188,603.60 Euros plus 60,000 Euros. The cost issue will be determined next week.

The jury, consisting of eight women and four men, deliberated for a total of six hours and ten minutes.

McGregor and his fiancee, Dee Devlin, were greeted with a media frenzy when they emerged from the courthouse on Friday evening. McGregor had no comment.

BREAKING: Conor McGregor refuses to answer questions as he leaves Dublin High Court.

A jury at the civil court found that the mixed martial arts fighter raped a woman in a Dublin hotel in 2018.

Warning: This video contains flash photography pic.twitter.com/WRKrSWi6Rk

— Sky News (@SkyNews) 22 November 2024

Hand, who shed tears, told the press that she was “overwhelmed” by the support she received following the decision.

He thanked his legal team, the jury, medical experts, gardai and his family.

He made special mention of his younger daughter Freya, saying: “Over the last six years, she has given me so much strength and courage to continue pushing for justice throughout this nightmare.

“I want to show Freya and all the other boys and girls that if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, you can defend yourself and justice will be served.

“To all victims of sexual assault, I hope my story tells you that no matter how scared you are, speak up, make your voice heard, and continue to fight for justice.”

BREAKING: Nikita Hand speaks off the field. pic.twitter.com/H1K4eit8Ug

— Paul Healy (@Healyhack) 22 November 2024

The civil case against McGregor began in the Dublin High Court on November 5.

In the lawsuit, Hand alleged that McGregor and Lawrence had sex with her twice on Dec. 9, 2018, without her consent.

McGregor and Lawrence have denied the allegations against them, calling Hand a “gold digger” and a “con artist”.

The court heard that on December 9, 2018 – the day after a work party where he drank and took cocaine – Hand contacted McGregor to “keep the party going”.

McGregor, Hand and another woman were taken to the Beacon Hotel in Dublin. During the trip, McGregor stopped at Lawrence’s house, where he bought more cocaine and shared it with the women. Lawrence joined them at Beacon.

The court heard Hand was on her menstrual period and wearing tampons at the time of the incident. Hand said she doesn’t have sex during her period.

Hand’s barrister John Gordon SC told the court McGregor went to her bedroom and asked her to perform oral sex, but Hand refused. He said he then “pinned her to the bed.”

“He is clearly no match for Mr McGregor physically,” Gordon told the court.

“He’ll tell you he was nervous. He tried to push her away, but he totally couldn’t.”

Gordon said the watch on his wrist scratched his chest when he was pressed against it during the struggle. Gordon said McGregor then turned him over and put him in an armlock, then pulled him up by his neck until he couldn’t breathe.

Hand said McGregor told him: “Now you know what it’s like in the Octagon. I had to hit myself three times.”

Gordon said his client was “completely appalled”. She described it as a “violent, violent attack” and said a doctor who examined her after the incident found her tampon “embedded in her vagina.”

Hand did not recall any sexual incident occurring between him and Lawrence until the following February, when Lawrence reportedly said they had sex twice.

On the opening day of the civil trial, Judge Alexander Owens told the jury: “The allegation in the statement of claim is essentially that Mr McGregor sexually assaulted Ms Ni Laimhin (El) and in fact raped her on the night of December 2018. Mr Lawrence did the same.

“This is not a criminal case, but a civil case for the crime of assault… if proven… the person is entitled to compensation, called compensatory damages.”