Conor McGregor loses sexual assault case

A jury in Ireland has found the UFC star liable for assaulting a woman in a Dublin hotel room in 2018

An Irish woman who accused mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor of assaulting her in a hotel room six years ago has won her case against the boxer in Dublin’s High Court. 

Nikita Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, was awarded nearly €250,000 ($260,000) on Friday by an Irish jury, which deliberated for six hours and 10 minutes, according to media reports.

Hand filed civil charges against McGregor and his friend James Lawrence, alleging they sexually assaulted her after a Christmas party in December 2018.

She told the court during three days of testimony that she thought she would die and never see her child again when the UFC star was “choking” her. 

McGregor had denied that he “brutally raped and battered” the woman, saying the two had sex that was athletic and vigorous, but not rough. She never said ‘no’ or stopped him, according to McGregor, who testified that everything she said was a lie.

The court heard that McGregor and Hand knew each other and had occasionally been in contact on social media.

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According to Hand, before the assault she contacted the MMA fighter, and he then drove her and her friend to a party in a penthouse room at the Beacon Hotel, south Dublin, where they partied into the morning. Hand said they drank heavily and took cocaine.

McGregor took her to a bedroom and sexually assaulted her, she claimed. He put her in a chokehold several times and later told her, “Now you know how I felt in the octagon where I tapped out three times,” she said.

A paramedic who reportedly examined the woman the next day said she was very heavily bruised. Hand was also diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

According to the Associated Press, the defense showed surveillance video in court that they said appeared to show the woman kiss McGregor’s arm and hug him after they left the hotel room. She looked very happy, McGregor’s lawyer stated.

McGregor reportedly shook his head as the jury of eight women and four men found him liable for assault. He later released a statement saying he was “disappointed” the jury did not hear all the evidence and would appeal the decision. The UFC star added, “I am with my family, focused on my future.”

Hand lost her lawsuit against McGregor’s friend James Lawrence, whom she had also accused of taking part.