Conor McGregor, the Irish mixed martial arts fighter, has been found liable in a civil case for assaulting Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. A jury at the High Court in Dublin awarded Ms. Hand more than €248,000 (£206,000) in damages after deliberating for six hours and 10 minutes.
The incident occurred after a work Christmas party, when Ms. Hand, her colleague Danielle Kealy, McGregor, and another man named James Lawrence went to the hotel’s penthouse suite. The group had been drinking and taking cocaine throughout the night.
Ms. Hand, a 35-year-old hair colourist and mother-of-one, testified that McGregor pinned her to a bed and assaulted her. She was left with extensive bruising and abrasions across her body, including a bloodied scratch on her breast and tenderness on her neck from what she described as a “chokehold”. A paramedic who later examined her stated she had never seen someone “so bruised” before.
The following day, Ms. Hand was taken to the Rotunda Hospital’s sexual assault treatment unit. Both McGregor and Lawrence had denied the allegations, claiming they separately had consensual sexual encounters with Ms. Hand.
While the jury found McGregor liable, they did not find James Lawrence guilty of assault.
The incident has had significant consequences for Ms. Hand’s life. She was forced to leave her job as a hairdresser and has been unable to work since due to mental health issues. Her relationship ended months after the incident, and she had to move out of her home. Her mortgage is now in arrears, and she can no longer afford counseling sessions. She has spent over €4,000 on medical and psychological treatment.
Speaking outside the court, Ms. Hand expressed her emotions, saying she was “overwhelmed and touched” by the support she received. She emphasized her desire to show her daughter Freya and other young people that they can stand up for themselves, regardless of who the perpetrator might be.
McGregor, who was accompanied by his partner Dee Devlin and family members during the trial, shook his head when the verdict was read. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) following the verdict, he stated he would appeal and thanked his worldwide supporters, saying he was focused on his future with his family.
The civil case concluded after eight days of evidence and three days of closing speeches and judicial comments, with a jury of eight women and four men ultimately finding in Ms. Hand’s favor.
Ms. Hand’s message was clear: no matter how afraid someone might be, they have a voice and can seek justice.
