Conor McGregor LOSES appeal over Nikita Hand civil rape case ruling after hairdresser awarded €248k in damages
DISGRACED Conor McGregor today LOST his appeal over his civil rape case after he attacked a woman in a hotel.
The Irish mixed martial arts fighter, 36, was accused of "brutally raping and battering" Nikita Hand at a hotel penthouse in Dublin in December 2018.
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Nikita Hand, who is also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, outside the Court of Appeal this afternoon
Credit: Collins Photos
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Conor McGregor outside the High Court in Dublin
Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
The MMA fighter, who was not present in court today, lost his appeal on all five grounds that the case was taken.
Ms Hand, 35, successfully sued McGregor in a civil court over an incident in which he was alleged to have "brutally raped and battered" her in the penthouse of the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford.
During a three-week case at the High Court last November, the fighter told the court the pair had 'consensual' sex.
A jury of eight women and four men found him civilly liable for assault and Ms Hand was awarded €248,603.60 in damages.
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McGregor was also ordered to pay about €1.3 million in legal costs following November's trial.
The fighter then launched an appeal on the basis of five grounds, intending to introduce fresh evidence to the court.
He had provided affidavits by Samantha O'Reilly and her partner Steven Cummins, former neighbours of Ms Hand when she lived in Drimnagh, to the Court of Appeal.
Samantha O'Reilly said she had witnessed a physical row between Ms Hand and her then-partner at about the same time of the incident at the Beacon hotel.
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Ms Hand denied any altercation with her former partner and the court heard she characterised the claims from Ms O'Reilly and Ms O'Reilly's partner Steven Cummins as 'lies'.
Earlier this month, McGregor's legal team dramatically withdrew that ground of appeal, saying it would no longer be relying on the material.
The appeal continued on other grounds.
This was that his garda interviews with "no comment" answers should not have been admitted into evidence and that the jury was asked to deliberate on an "assault" rather than "sexual assault".
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HAND 'RETRAUMATISED' BY APPEAL
Speaking outside court this afternoon, Ms Hand said the appeal had "retraumatised" her but she can finally "move on" following the judges' verdict today.
She said: "I want to begin by thanking my legal team, the rape crisis centre and the three judges who delivered the decision today.
"I'm also deeply grateful for everyone who supported me, those who believed in me and stood by my side throughout this long and painful journey.
"This appeal has retraumatised me over and over again. Being forced to relive what happened has had a huge impact on me.
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"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.
"Today I can finally move on and try to heal."
REASONS FOR APPEAL DISMISSAL
Meanwhile, McGregor's co-defendant has also lost his appeal against the trial judge's decision not to award him his legal costs.
During the same trial in November, the jury did not find James Lawrence had assaulted Ms Hand at the hotel.
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However, the trial judge decided that Ms Hand would not have to pay Mr Lawrence's costs.
His legal team challenged whether that decision was correct and reasonable, arguing that Ms Hand should have to pay as the jury did not find he had assaulted her.
Delivering their judgment on Thursday, the three judges of the court - Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, Mr Justice Brian O'Moore and Mr Justice Patrick MacGrath - agreed to dismiss both appeals in their entirety.
Reading out the judgment on behalf of the three-judge panel, Mr Justice O'Moore summarised the grounds for appeal before explaining the Court of Appeal's reasons for dismissing all five grounds.
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He said: "I therefore dismiss the appeal in its entirety."
Ms Hand was embraced by her supporters in court after the judgment was delivered.
Neither McGregor nor Mr Lawrence were present in court.
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Ms Hand speaking to the media outside the High Court in Dublin after the jury returned with their verdicts in the civil trial against McGregor
Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
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