A woman who accused mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor of “brutally raping and battering” her in a Dublin hotel penthouse was awarded nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) by a civil court jury in Ireland on Friday.
Nikita Hand said that the assault, which occurred on December 9, 2018, after a night of partying, left her badly bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
McGregor testified that he never forced Hand into anything and claimed she made up the accusations after they had consensual sex. His lawyer called Hand a gold digger.
The jury, made up of eight women and four men, found McGregor guilty of assault after deliberating for about six hours in the High Court in Dublin. As the verdict was read, McGregor shook his head.
He was surrounded by cameras when leaving court but did not speak. Later, on the social platform X, he stated that he would appeal both the verdict and the “modest award.”
Hand, visibly emotional, read a statement outside the courthouse, saying that while she would never forget what happened to her, the verdict allowed her to move forward with her life. She thanked her family, partner, friends, jurors, the judge, and everyone who supported her, especially her daughter.
“She has given me so much strength and courage over the last six years throughout this nightmare to keep on pushing forward for justice,” Hand said. “I want to show (her) 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.”
The Associated Press usually does not name alleged victims of sexual violence unless they publicly identify themselves, as Nikita Hand has done. Under Irish law, Hand did not have the same anonymity that would be granted in a criminal case, so her name was made public throughout the trial.
In his closing speech, Hand’s lawyer told the jury that McGregor was upset about a fight he lost in Las Vegas two months before and took his anger out on Hand.
“He’s not a man, he’s a coward,” attorney John Gordon said. “A devious coward and you should treat him for what he is.”
Gordon explained that Hand never claimed to be perfect and was just trying to have fun when she sent McGregor a message on Instagram after attending a Christmas party. He said Hand and McGregor knew each other socially and grew up in the same area.
Hand said that McGregor picked her and a friend up in his car and shared cocaine with them, something McGregor admitted in court, on the way to the Beacon Hotel.
Hand told the court she told McGregor that she didn’t want to have sex with him and that she was menstruating. She said she told him “no” as he began kissing her, but he eventually pinned her to a bed, and she couldn’t move.
Hand said that McGregor then 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 where he had to admit defeat.
