Nikita Hand alleged that MMA fighter Conor McGregor “sexually assaulted her, and in effect, raped her” in December 2018, Ireland’s High Court heard in a civil case.

Ms Hand won the case and the court awarded her over £200,000 in damages, which McGregor will pay. McGregor denied all allegations made against him and has announced that he will appeal the decision.

Why a civil case?

In Irish law, a civil case is between two individuals. A criminal case is taken by the state against the accused. The burden of proof in a criminal case is “beyond reasonable doubt”, in a civil case it is “on the balance of probabilities”. Nikita Hand reported the incident in January 2019 to the Irish police and an investigation was opened. Ireland’s Director of Public Prosecution wrote to Ms Hand in August 2020 to say that they would not prosecute as a criminal case as there was not sufficient evidence.

The case

Nikita Hand was at her work Christmas party on the night of the rape. She made contact with McGregor and they drove to a penthouse suite in Dublin’s Beacon Hotel with her colleague.

They picked up James Lawrence, who Ms Hand also took a case against but he was found not guilty.

She said they took cocaine and drank into the night before McGregor took her to the bedroom and sexually assaulted her. McGregor said the sex was consensual.

Evidence

The day after the attack, Nikita had to have a tampon removed by a doctor using forceps - it was described as being 'wedged' at the very top of her vagina by a doctor.

McGregor’s team played a recording of a conversation between Hand and her boyfriend from that day. Her boyfriend tells her he was afraid she’d fall asleep and forget what happened because she was so drunk.

McGregor’s team argued that the recording showed Hand lying. She said that lying to her boyfriend was not a crime, but what happened to her was.

Nikita Hand

Nikita Hand spoke outside the court after the judgment was ruled. She said that she was overwhelmed by the support she received.

She said that she wanted to show her daughter “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."

It was also revealed that she had to move house this year after her home was invaded by masked men who stabbed her husband. The evidence was not used in court as the judge ruled it irrelevant to the case.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said that number of calls they received increased by 17% during the first 10 days of the trial. The number of first time callers increased by 50%.

The Rape Crisis Network Ireland are also calling for a boycott of McGregor’s alcohol brands. Proper 12, which he sold in 2023 but still promotes, and his Forged Stout are stocked in major supermarkets in Ireland.

Social Media

Irish charity for sexual assault, Reportd, are encouraging people to unfollow McGregor on social media.

Reportd have said that it is not just symbolic but will affect McGregor financially as he receives an estimated 100,000 per sponsored post.

McGregor posted about his stout brand on his Instagram 3 days before the verdict. He also posted an ad for Box Bollen, a boxing workout game, where he tags Will Smith, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, and Tom Brady.