CONOR McGregor has insisted he will appeal a civil court jury verdict that he assaulted a woman in a Dublin hotel room.
Nikita Hand accused the 36-year-old Irish mixed martial artist of “brutally raping and beating her” after Christmas night in December 2018.
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Conor McGregor has vowed to appeal the jury’s decisionCredit: Reuters
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McGregor and partner Dee Devlin arriving at the High Court in DublinCredit: PA
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Nikita Hand accused McGregor of ‘brutally raping’ her Credit: PA
The Irish sports star – who arrived in court hand in hand with his partner Dee Devlin – claimed he had consensual sex with Miss Hand at the Beacon Hotel.
But today a jury in the civil case against McGregor decided that he assaulted Miss Hand.
He was ordered to pay her almost €250,000 (£207,000).
A disgraced McGregor did not comment as he left court today, but has since broken his silence on Xu.
He wrote: “I will appeal today’s decision.
“The judge’s direction and modest award was made for assault, not grievous or exemplary damages.
“I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence reviewed by the DPP.
“Now I’m with my family, focused on my future. Thanks for the support all over the world.”
His partner Dee Devlin was seen leaving court in tears following the jury’s decision.
McGregor shook his head as the jury – who spent six hours and 10 minutes deliberating – found Ms Hand had won her case against him.
Brave Nikita Hand is speaking out after winning a civil suit against Conor McGregor for sexual assault
Ms Hand, 35, who is also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, said the attack after a night out left her badly bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Her voice trembled as she gave her statement to the court, saying that she would never forget what happened to her, but that she would now be able to move on with her life.
She thanked her family, partner, friends and all fans who reached out to her online, especially her daughter.
Mum-of-one Ms Hand sued both McGregor and James Lawrence, alleging the pair “brutally raped and beat her” in a hotel penthouse during a cocaine-fuelled afterparty.
They both denied her accusations and claimed the sex was consensual.
McGregor described Ms Hand’s allegations that he raped her as “lies”, telling the court the sex was “enthusiastic and sporting”.
The cage fighter was shown photographs of bruises on the complainant’s body taken in the days following the alleged attack.
Under cross-examination by Ms Hand’s barrister John Gordon, McGregor denied causing the bruises, saying they “may have been from her diving in the bath”.
But Mr. Gordon drew the jury’s attention to medical evidence about the severity of Ms Hand’s bruises.
And Ms Hand’s lawyer pointed out that her tampon had to be removed with tweezers in hospital when she came in after the alleged rape.
Mr Gordon said: “The liar here is McGregor who has neither the courage nor the decency to admit what he has done.
“He’s not a man, he’s a cunning coward and you should treat him as he is.”
Speaking about the bruises on Ms Hand’s body, Mr Gordon said: “Let’s put it this way: somebody did it. It happened at the Beacon Hotel. It was McGregor.”
A jury of eight women and four men decided today that McGregor assaulted Miss Hand.
But she lost her case against James Lawrence, who she accused of assaulting her by allegedly having sex without her consent in the same hotel.
Does Conor McGregor have a chance to continue his UFC career?
FORMER UFC champion Conor McGregor did attack the woman who accused him of raping her in a Dublin hotel, a civil court jury found on Friday.
The 36-year-old is accused of “brutally raping and beating” Nikita Hand in December 2018.
Now Mrs. Hand will have to pay EUR 248,603.60 in compensation.
Although he lost the case, McGregor promised to appeal.
The Irishman’s future in MMA and UFC is now in doubt. He hasn’t been in the Octagon since July 2021 when he broke his leg and was stopped against Dustin Poirier.
Here’s what SunSport’s Chief MMA Reporter Chisanga Malata had to say about the situation…
“The ruling, which was handed down in civil rather than criminal court, has given the UFC arguably its biggest headache ever in its 31-year run. MMA leaders will now have to make a big decision about their poster boy.
“Personally, I think he’s fighting again. There’s precedent for that. Just look at the guy who fought Jake Paul last week.
“Of course, I’m talking about former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who was sent to prison for rape in the 1990s. He got out and went on to have a successful career, earning millions upon millions of pounds before retiring in 2005.
“Unfortunately, there’s precedent for that. But the UFC has to make a huge decision now. Like I said, I think he’s fighting again. I think they’re sticking to the plan that was announced last week at UFC 309 at the post-fight press conference and they made him is fighting at the end of 2025.
“Maybe they said late in 2025 in anticipation that this verdict doesn’t go McGregor’s way and they gave it some time to get this over with – although something of this magnitude can never, ever go through.
“I believe McGregor will fight again unless he makes a sensational decision from Dana White and all the investors and they cut their poster boy. But I just don’t see that happening and I see him back in the Octagon at the end of next year.
“Questions will have to be asked of the UFC and rightfully so. But more than the man himself, Mr. McGregor.”
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