Nikita Hand looks to 'finally move on' after Conor McGregor loses appeal

In a civil case heard last November, Nikita Hand alleged that Conor McGregor raped her in December 2018, and she sued him for damages.

Nikita Hand speaking to the media after attending the Court of Appeal. Picture: Collins Courts/ CC

Nikita Hand has said she can “finally move on and try to heal” after Conor McGregor lost an appeal against a High Court jury’s finding that he assaulted her.

She also said that she had been “forced to relive” what had happened to her through the appeal, and that it had been a “long and painful journey”.

Ms Hand made the comments outside the Four Courts in Dublin after a three-judge panel on the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal made by the former MMA fighter in its entirety.

In a civil case heard last November, she alleged that Mr McGregor raped her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, and she sued him for damages. Mr McGregor denied the allegation and said that they had consensual sex.

A jury found McGregor had assaulted Ms Hand, and awarded her €250,000 in damages.

Mr McGregor was also ordered to pay Ms Hand’s costs in the case. The Court of Appeal has previously heard that the legal costs involved in the civil assault trial totalled €1.3m.

At the opening of the appeal in early July, Mr McGregor’s team withdrew one of the main grounds of his appeal which was fresh evidence he wanted to introduce.

It centred around sworn affidavits from Ms Hand’s neighbours on the same day she was allegedly being assaulted by Mr McGregor. They claimed to have heard an altercation within Ms Hand’s apartment at the time.

When this was withdrawn at the last minute, Ms Hand’s legal team said Mr McGregor should face a charge of inducing others to commit perjury on his behalf, while the court has said it intends to refer the matter to the DPP.

Mr Justice O’Moore noted the court’s “displeasure and disapproval” over this affair in the judgement.

The judge also said that Mr McGregor’s appeal on other grounds, such as the jury hearing he answered “no comment” in garda interviews, failed and the judges dismissed it in its entirety.

Separately, the Court of Appeal said that Ms Hand should not pay the costs of co-defendant James Lawrence, whom the jury said did not assault Ms Hand in its verdict. During the trial, the court heard that Mr McGregor had paid all of Mr Lawrence’s costs.

While Mr McGregor was not in court, Ms Hand attended, and was embraced by supporters after the judgement was delivered.

Outside court, she said: “To every survivor out there, I know how hard it is. But please don’t be silenced.

“You deserve to be heard. You also deserve justice.”

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