DUBLIN: Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor assaulted a woman at a party in Dublin in 2018 and must pay her nearly 250,000 euros ($259,950) in damages, a jury decided on Friday.
The jury of eight women and four men reached its verdict in the civil trial at Ireland’s high court after six hours and 10 minutes of deliberation.
The plaintiff, Nikita Hand, alleged that Conor McGregor sexually assaulted her on Dec. 9, 2018, and that another man, James Lawrence, did the same, the court heard during two weeks of evidence.
The jury found that Lawrence did not assault Hand. Conor McGregor left the court through a large scrum of reporters without commenting and later posted on X that he planned to appeal the decision.
Conor McGregor, 36, denied the allegation and said he had “fully consensual sex” with Hand. He also denied causing bruising to the plaintiff.
Hand’s lawyer told the jury that when she was referred to a sexual assault treatment unit the day after the alleged assault, a doctor was so concerned that he directed that photographs be taken of her injuries.
Hand said that she and a friend made contact with McGregor, who she knew, after a work Christmas party. She said they were driven by McGregor to a party in a penthouse room of a south Dublin hotel, where drugs and alcohol were consumed.
She said McGregor took her to a bedroom in the penthouse and sexually assaulted her.
Speaking outside the court, Hand said she was overwhelmed by the support she had received and that she felt vindicated.
“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,” she said.
($1 = 0.9617 euro).
Back in March 2019, Conor McGregor was arrested in Miami Beach after a fan said the Irish mixed martial arts fighter smashed his phone and then walked off with the shattered remains, police records show.
McGregor, 30, was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami on suspicion of robbery and criminal mischief, according to an arrest affidavit filed in connection with the incident.
“The victim and the defendant were exiting the Fountainbleau Hotel and the victim attempted to take a picture of the defendant with his cell phone,” the arrest report said, without identifying the second man’s name.
“The defendant slapped the victim’s phone out of his hand, causing it to fall to the floor. The defendant then stomped on the victim’s phone several times, damaging it,” the report said, adding that the device was valued at $1,000 (£756).
