New Delhi: Conor McGregor’s legal battle stemming from a civil rape case has ended in defeat after the Irish MMA star lost his appeal against a previous court ruling that found he sexually assaulted a woman. The Court of Appeal in Dublin dismissed McGregor’s appeal in full, siding with the original decision that awarded £206,000 in damages to Nikita Hand.
The incident at the center of the case dates back to 2018 when Hand accused McGregor of raping her in a Dublin hotel. In May 2023, following a civil trial, the jury ruled in her favor. McGregor, who denied the allegation, challenged the decision on multiple legal grounds but on Thursday, three senior judges unanimously rejected all of the arguments brought forward by his legal team.
One key aspect of McGregor’s appeal focused on the wording used in the jury’s “issue paper.” His lawyers argued that asking jurors whether he had “assaulted” Hand was too broad, and should have specifically said “sexual assault.” However, the judges weren’t convinced. They ruled it was “simply unreal” to think jurors were confused about what was being asked, especially given the nature of the evidence presented in court.
Another major point of contention was the inclusion of McGregor’s police interviews in the original trial. During those sessions, he answered “no comment” roughly 100 times. His barrister argued that this unfairly influenced the jury, suggesting guilt. But again, the court found no evidence that the inclusion of those interviews compromised the fairness of the trial.
“This appeal has re-traumatised me over and over again.”
Nikita Hand speaks outside court after Conor McGregor lost his appeal against the finding of a civil jury that he sexually assaulted her in a Dublin hotel in 2018.https://t.co/njXca1dL9P
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Claims of new evidence dropped during appeal
As the start of the appeal process, McGregor’s team had signaled their intention to introduce new evidence. This included statements from a couple who claimed to have witnessed a domestic dispute involving Hand and her ex-partner in 2018 evidence McGregor believed could challenge the origin of Hand’s injuries.
But that attempt was later withdrawn without explanation. The judges in their ruling said it was “somewhat mysterious” that such a “contentious” part of the appeal was dropped. They ruled that Hand should be awarded legal costs for that portion of the case.
A difficult process for survivor
Nikita Hand was present in court for the decision and later spoke about the emotional toll the case has taken. “This appeal has retraumatised me over and over again,” she said. “What happened has had a huge impact on me.” She also encouraged other survivors to speak out and seek justice, adding, “Today, I can finally move on and try to heal.”
Conor McGregor was not present in court for the verdict. His friend James Lawrence, who was also accused but cleared by the jury during the original trial, lost his own appeal against being ordered to pay legal costs. The civil case, which has stretched over years, now appears to be coming to a close.