Conor McGregor Sexually Assaulted Woman, Jury Finds

A woman who accused Conor McGregor of raping her has won her claim against him for damages in a civil case.

A jury found that the Irish mixed martial arts fighter assaulted Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.

He has been ordered to pay her more than €248,000 (£206,000) in damages.

The jury at the High Court in Dublin had been deliberating since Thursday afternoon before returning its verdict that McGregor did assault Ms Hand.

The woman had also taken a case against another man, James Lawrence, 35, of Rafter’s Road, Drimnagh in Dublin.

She alleged that Mr Lawrence assaulted her by having sex with her without her consent in the Beacon Hotel.

The jury found that he did not assault her.

Speaking outside the court on Friday afternoon, Ms Hand said she was “overwhelmed and touched” by the support she had received.

“I want to show [my daughter] Freya and every other young girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and that justice will be served.”

Offering a message to “all the victims of sexual assault”, she said her story was “a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be to speak up, you have a voice”.

Both men had denied the claims by the 35-year-old hair colourist and said they separately had consensual sex with Ms Hand at the hotel almost six years ago.

Before being sent out to consider their verdicts yesterday afternoon, the judge Mr Justice Alex Owens reminded the jury that the onus of proof was on the plaintiff.

He also explained that the standard of proof was on the balance of probabilities – more probable than not.