UFC star Conor McGregor loses civil trial over sex assault

Zane Simon

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Publish Date: 11/22/2024

The High Court in Dublin reached a verdict in the sex assault case against former UFC champion Conor McGregor.

The longtime combat sports superstar has been facing allegations of rape and assault for the better part of six years. Rumors of the incident first surfaced in early 2019. Allegations that McGregor had assaulted a woman in December of the previous year in a Dublin hotel. Although local Gardai refused to pursue a criminal case against the Irish sports celebrity, a civil suit soon followed.

Conor McGregor ordered to pay damages to victim

Filed in 2021, Conor McGregor's civil suit for the rape of Nikita Hand went to trial earlier this month. The case underwent a round of discovery in 2022, which involved Gardai turning over records pertaining to their investigation. McGregor and Hand finally got their day in court on November 4th, where a jury heard a great deal of evidence regarding the fighter's actions on that night.

According to Hand's statements, she and McGregor had been out partying that night when they returned to the fighter's hotel room. That was where McGregor beckoned her into another room, pinned her to the bed and demanded that she perform oral sex on him. Hand went on to describe how McGregor choked her to near unconsciousness several times, telling her, "Now you know what it was like in the Octogon when I went down three times."

At that point Hand told the court that she gave up resisting and that McGregor raped her. A doctor who attended to Hand after the incident reported he had to remove a tampon from Hand's vagina with forceps due to the violent nature of the assault. Lawyers for McGregor claimed that the encounter was above board, stating Hand "consented to the state she ended up.”

The court has ordered McGregor to pay €248,000 in damages.

UFC's McGregor and victim make statements

Following news the jury's verdict, UFC star Conor McGregor quickly took to social media to continue pleading his innocence. While noting that the court's award to the victim was "modest," McGregor also made it clear he would be appealing the ruling against him.

"I will be appealing today's decision," McGregor wrote in a post to his social media page. "The judge's instruction and the modest award given was for assault, not for aggravated or exemplary damages. I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence that the DPP reviewed. I am with my family now, focused on my future. Thank you to all my support worldwide."

Hand spoke to reporters outside the courthouse. She described how "overwhelmed and touched" she was by the support she had received.

"I want to show [my daughter] Freya and every other young girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and that justice will be served."