CONOR McGREGOR has said he intends to appeal a High Court jury’s ruling that he assaulted a woman by raping her at a Dublin hotel.
Nikita Hand won her civil case against the MMA fighter after telling the court he ‘brutally raped and battered’ her in the penthouse suite of the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford on December 9, 2018.
The Director of Public Prosecutions [DPP] had previously decided against bringing a criminal case against McGregor, stating there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction.
After deliberating for more than six hours on Friday, a jury awarded Ms Hand more than €248,000 in damages, with a decision on costs to be made next week.
Ms Hand arriving at the High Court on Friday (Image: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie)In a since deleted Twitter/X post published on Friday, 36-year-old McGregor said he planned to appeal the decision, claiming the jury did not hear all the evidence.
“I will be appealing today’s decision,” he wrote.
“The judge’s instruction and the modest award given was for assault, not for aggravated or exemplary damages.
“I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence that the DPP reviewed.
“I am with my family now, focused on my future. Thank you to all my support worldwide.”
‘Justice will be served’
Following the trial, it was revealed that Ms Hand had moved earlier this year after a masked gang invade her Drimnagh home in June, stabbing her boyfriend and smashing the property’s windows.
Her legal team did not claim that McGregor had anything to do with the incident, with a judge ruling ahead of the civil action that the evidence should not go before the jury.
Speaking outside court on Friday, Ms Hand said she hoped her victory would inspire victims of sexual assault to speak up.
“I want to show [my daughter] Freya and 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,” she said.
“To all the victims of sexual assault, I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be, speak up — you have a voice — and keep on fighting for justice.”
Conor McGregor arrives at the High Court on Friday with his partner, Dee Devlin (Image: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie)McGregor, who attended the court with his partner Dee Devlin, his parents, sister and brother-in-law, didn’t speak to reporters as he left the court.
The fighter and his friend, James Lawrence, both claimed they had consensual sex with Ms Hand.
Ms Hand had also taken a case against Mr Lawrence, who she had also accused of rape, but the jury ruled he had not assaulted her.