Gardai to quiz couple whose ‘new evidence' was binned from McGregor case appeal – after pair approached ex-UFC star
MAC COUPLE QUIZ Gardai to quiz couple whose 'new evidence' was binned from McGregor case appeal – after pair approached ex-UFC star
THE couple whose 'new evidence' was binned from Conor McGregor's rape case appeal will be quizzed by cops, we can reveal.
Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins provided sworn affidavits which were set to be used as part of the ex-UFC star's bid to overturn a civil jury's ruling that he raped Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in 2018.
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Steven Cummins and Samantha O'Reilly provided sworn affidavits with 'new evidence' by McGregor
Credit: social media collect
The Irish Sun on Sunday has learned they approached McGregor, 37, prior to swearing the legal docs.
They claimed to have seen Ms Hand's then boyfriend assault her on the night of McGregor's alleged sex attack in December 2018.
This was due to be a key prong of McGregor's appeal, which he last month lost, after Ms Hand won €250,000 in damages following the Civil High Court verdict last year.
However, his legal team sensationally withdrew the material from his appeal.
The Irish Sun yesterday revealed a Garda investigation has been launched in relation to the withdrawal of this 'new evidence'.
The major probe is being led by National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
They are examining the contents of the affidavits, focusing on the withdrawal of the couple's claims by McGregor.
Cops are examining whether perjury was committed, which has been strenuously denied.
A senior source said: 'The investigation is examining the withdrawal of sworn material, so it is a given that those who provided that material will be interviewed in relation to it.'
The Court of Appeal had referred the withdrawal of the couple's evidence to the DPP, who passed it to cops.
Our source said: 'The Gardai are progressing on the matter and establishing the facts.
'When a number of tasks are completed, it will go back to the DPP to decide what the next steps are.'
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Irish Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
False 'sick paedos' Facebook post sparks 'nightmare' for two innocent men
One man fled Shannon in terror in his gym-gear without his belongings, while another man became a target of online hate and felt that there was a bounty on his head after they were both falsely identified as 'sick paedos' in a Facebook post, a court has heard. At Ennis Circuit Court, the author of the 'malicious' Facebook post from November 2023, Martin Hannon (43) of Tradaree Court, Shannon has pleaded guilty to a stalking offence from November 2nd to November 16th 2023 against the two innocent men. In the post, a carpenter, Mr Hannon offered a €1,000 reward for information about the owners of two cars over what he claimed was an attempted abduction in Shannon of a 13 year old girl known to him. Counsel for the State, Sarah Jane Comerford BL (instructed by State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey) said that on November 7th 2023 Gardai became aware of a Facebook post where Mr Hannon posted 'Lads, these are the sick paedos who tried to grab a 13 year old girl into a car yesterday evening along with other young girls'. He went on: 'If anyone sees these scum in Shannon or anywhere and if you can get me to them, then there is a €1,000 reward. Ye will be looked after by us'. He added: 'Cable ties and baseball bats are at hand and if the Gardai have a problem with my post, then do something about it and be pro-active.' Ms Comerford said that the post was accompanied by photos of cars and their registration plates along with a photo of the home of one of the men. Ms Comerford said that both men became aware of the photos shared through their friends and work colleagues and immediately contacted the Gardai. Ms Comerford said that the background to this commenced on November 2nd 2023 when a mother and girl known to Mr Hannon attended at Shannon Garda Station to report that cars had passed the two and shouting from a car had put the girl in fear. Ms Comerford said that the only description was that one car was white and one was black. Ms Comerford said that on the same day, the two innocent men - who did know each other - stopped at different times at a Texaco filling station in Shannon and one owned a black car and the other owned a white car. Ms Comerford said that photos of the cars at the Texaco filling station were passed onto Mr Hannon who posted the photos on his Facebook page where he labelled them as the men involved in the alleged attempted abduction incident calling them paedophiles and offering a reward of €1,000. Garda Claire Burke agreed with Ms Comeford that this caused an outpouring on social media and people believed that these men were involved in this incident with the child. Ms Comerford said that an example of the comments to Mr Hannon's post included describing the two as 'dirty scumbags' and being 'very scared for our kids'. Ms Comerford said that Mr Hannon gave an interview to a local newspaper, The Clare Echo that was entitled 'Shannon man offers award of €1,000 to track down alleged abductors'. In a victim impact statement read out in court by Garda Burke, one of the men falsely accused by Mr Hannon said that arising from what he described as Mr Hannon's 'malicious' actions, 'almost overnight I became a target of online hate and public suspicion'. The man said that the reward 'only increased the sense of danger'. He said: 'I was afraid to leave my home or to travel to work.' The man said that the false accusation 'turned my daily life into a waking nightmare'. He said: 'This reward felt like a bounty on my head. I felt terrified not only for myself but for my family.' The man said that he 'was afraid to leave my home or to travel to work'. He said that he had to rely on friends to bring him food and essentials. He said: 'I stayed off the streets, stayed off public transport and essentially locked myself in for weeks.' At the time, the man - who is a native of a country in Asia, but was living in Limerick - said that his mother flew over here on November 24th to comfort him and a sibling he was sharing accommodation with. The man said that when his mother encouraged to go outside 'I felt panicked' He said that Mr Hannon's accusation 'was completely unfounded. No such abduction ever took place but the consequences of his actions have had a profound and lasting effect on me and my family'. He said: "When I first learned about the accusation I was in complete shock. Seeing my photo and my car published online along with an appeal for information about me filled me with fear". The man said that Mr Hannon's actions also had severe and lasting financial impact as he urgently sold the car that was posted on Mr Hannon's Facebook page for €2,000 and he had purchased it for €6,500 leaving a loss of €4,500. He said that arising from Mr Hannon's Facebook post he was unable to attend work for a period 'and I lost time and money and progressional standing'. He said: 'To this day, I can't understand why this happened….I was an innocent person caught up in a situation I had absolutely nothing to do with.' He said that was 'deeply traumatised' where 'I was targeted, my safety was compromised and my peace of mind was taken away'. He said: 'I ask the court to recognise the severity of the harm I have endured due to Mr Hannon's malicious actions.' In the victim impact statement provided by the second victim to court and read out by Garda Burke, he said that he had to 'flee in terror from the town I was living in' due to "the false accusations and threats made against me online". He said: 'I had been followed to my home and there was a call out online for help to catch me.' He said: 'I was absolutely terrified and rather than go back to the house, I fled from the garda station in my gym gear to my family home three hours away without any of my belongings". The man from a Leinster county said: 'This is where I hid out for weeks, too scared to go back to my apprenticeship and work placement in Shannon and too scared to be seen anywhere in my car. He said: 'I was terrified for myself and my family as my car is very identifiable." He said: 'I knew that many people recognised that it was me in the posts which made me very very isolated and wary in case anyone believed the accusation." He added: 'I missed several weeks of work at a crucial time of my apprenticeship." He said that with the support of Gardai he was able to return to his work in Shannon. He said: 'I will never forget how this man made me feel. Even though my parents reached out to him he did not seem to care about hearing the truth.' He said: 'To be threatened, stalked and falsely accused of the worst thing you can ever be accused of - a paedo - is so hard for me to comprehend and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Garda Burke said that Mr Hannon didn't know either party in the case, and that neither party knew each other. Ms Comerford said: 'A common feature is that they simply both filled up their petrol tanks at the Texaco station on the same day that the alleged incident occurred concerning the child.' Garda Burke said that Mr Hannon has no previous convictions. Counsel for Mr Hannon, Aaron Desmond BL (instructed by solicitor, Stiffen Fitzpatrick) said his client wishes to apologise to the two men. When charged with the offences under new harassment legislation, Mr Hannon told Gardai 'I'm sorry about how this turned out, it wasn't my intention'. Judge Francis Comerford has adjourned the case to the Autumn for sentence and Mr Hannon has been further remanded on bail. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Moment suspected extremist allegedly sets fire to Conor McGregor's pub
This is the shocking moment a suspected Islamic extremist is alleged to have set fire to the front of a pub owned by Conor McGregor. CCTV footage of the incident from an external camera at The Black Forge Inn in south Dublin shows a male, dressed all in black, pouring what is believed to be a flammable liquid at the entrance of the €2million pub. In the 33 second footage released by McGregor the male then stands back and appears to light a match and throws it on the ground. Flames and smoke then appear at the front of the pub while the male is then seen running away. Conor McGregor in the Black Forge Inn (Image: Instagram/ Conor McGregor) Last Friday, a suspected Jihadi was arrested by detectives from the Garda's main anti-terror outfit the Special Detective Unit, or SDU, as part of the investigation into the July 25 arson attack on Mr McGregor's Black Forge Inn in south Dublin. The male was taken out of a prison in Leinster last Friday afternoon on a so-called section 42 warrant – a required judicial approval to take an inmate out of jail. The fire caused damage to the front panel of Conor McGregor's Black Forge Inn in Walkinstown, south Dublin. The suspect arrested over it was released on Saturday evening. (Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin) The suspect was held for 24 hours and he was released without charge on Saturday evening and returned to the custody of the Irish Prison Service. Gardai confirmed to The Irish Mirror that the suspect was released without charge on Saturday evening – but the force added that investigations were continuing. A spokesman told us: 'The individual was released without charge on Saturday evening. Investigations are ongoing.' Workmen repair damage this morning caused by a small fire overnight to Conor McGregor's Black Forge Inn in Crumlin (Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin) The investigation into the July 25 attack in Walkinstown, south Dublin was being led by gardai from Crumlin station – but the Mirror revealed on Saturday that the SDU was now leading the probe. The man is currently before the courts over an alleged serious assault – but we cannot identify that incident for legal reasons. But we can reveal that SDU are now involved in both investigations and are examining the theory that both were linked to Islamic extremism. Gardai confirmed the SDU arrested a man over the arson attack in a statement to the Mirror on Saturday morning. The statement said: 'Gardaí attached to An Garda Síochána's Special Detective Unit have arrested a male in connection with the investigation into criminal damage at a licensed premises in the South Dublin area on Friday, 25th of July 2025. 'The male, aged in his 20s, was arrested yesterday, 8th of August 2025 and remains detained at a Garda station in the Dublin region under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. 'An Garda Síochána has no further comment at this time.' Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Sunday World
a day ago
- Sunday World
Conor McGregor's pitch to be backed by councillors is denied as Dublin says ‘no'
Dublin Chamber refuses to hear fighter's plea for nomination The Sunday World asked Dublin's councils if they would support the disgraced MMA fighter and all failed to give him their backing, with one deputy mayor saying he would only 'spew hate' and waste their time. McGregor, who a civil jury found had sexually assaulted Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel, wants to run for president but has yet to seek the required nominations from members of the Oireachtas or councils to get his name on the ballot. This week, McGregor, who also has more than 20 criminal convictions, launched a petition saying he should be allowed to run for the office without going through the normal procedures. Those seeking to get their name on the ballot can only do so by either securing nominations from at least 20 members of the Oireachtas or at least four local authorities. McGregor does not appear to have yet approached any local authorities to put forward his case but if he does, one that is unlikely to give him a hearing is Dun Laoghaire Rathdown (DLR) County Council, which is proposing preventing anyone seeking their nomination. Conor McGregor won't get his case heard by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council News in 90 seconds - 11th August 2025 A council spokesperson said: 'The following motion was included on the agenda for the Council meeting held on 7th July – 'That this Council resolves, under Article 12.4.2 (ii) of Bunreacht na hÉireann, not to exercise its power to nominate a candidate for election to the Presidency'. 'However, due to a busy agenda, the motion wasn't reached, and it will now be included on the agenda for the next council meeting on 8th September. If this motion is passed, no prospective candidates will be invited to address DLR Councillors. If the motion fails, an alternative method of dealing with requests for nominations will be agreed at the September 8th meeting.' Deputy Mayor Pierce Dargan (FG) said the motion has widespread support amongst councillors and could even pass unanimously. Deputy Mayor Pierce Dargan 'To listen to someone like Conor McGregor for an hour rather than focus on getting things done for constituents, I actually think people would be upset and asking why are you allowing this person to spew hate instead of looking at housing.' He said it would be a waste of time as McGregor would not get the backing of the council even if they allowed him to speak so they would only be giving him a platform. 'I have a feeling what he would say would be riddled with hate-fuelled rhetoric. My constituents would be upset if we allowed that. 'I know that if we gave him time rather than doing what we're elected to do I would get hounded.' He said McGregor hasn't even applied to the council to be heard. 'He has not done even the minimalist effort to try and speak to councils. I can already foresee the attack the council will get from someone like him – but he doesn't have the support. 'If he hasn't bothered to write an email to ask to come and speak to the council why is he launching his petition?' Mayor Jim Gildea (FG) said the motion wasn't directed at McGregor specifically but councillors didn't want to waste people's time as party affiliations meant there wasn't enough votes available for a majority to back any outside candidate. He said even if the council were to hear from candidates, McGregor wouldn't get his vote. 'What really rankles with me is that President Trump met [McGregor] on St Patrick's Day and didn't meet the Taoiseach on St Patrick's Day. That is a real, real insult to Ireland and deliberately so. It's a real slap in the face.' Read more Councillor Fiona Murphy (FF), who said she supports the motion, also wouldn't have backed McGregor if there was a vote before the council. 'No, just from watching him and the way he behaves I wouldn't be a fan. He would be meeting heads of state and I don't want them thinking that he is the person we're all like. 'He isn't the person who should be representing Ireland. You wouldn't know what he could do on that stage.' McGregor will be allowed to address the other councils in his native Dublin if he applies, but he has yet to contact any of them. South Dublin County Council Mayor Pamela Kearns was on annual leave, but former mayor Cllr Alan Finn said he was not aware of McGregor approaching the council to put his case forward. 'Were he to do so, I've no doubt he would be listened to and questioned by democratically elected councillors with courtesy. 'But I don't get a sense that he's interested in or informed about democratic structures and so I don't anticipate such an approach being made. I have no doubt councillors, myself included, would question him about the verdict in the civil rape case and his apparent total ignorance about the State and how it operates, as well as his links to the far-right in the US.' Mayor of Fingal Tom O'Leary said while McGregor could apply to Fingal County Council to seek their backing, he would vote against him if he did apply. 'My franchise and the franchise of all councillors is to vote for or against and I would be exercising my franchise to vote against Conor McGregor if he did appear. 'I don't support him as a candidate. I support the Fine Gael candidate Mairead McGuinness.' Mayor O'Leary said he was happy with the current requirements for any prospective candidate to get on the presidential ballot. 'I do think the system is fair. It has been carefully been considered. Over the years they have all looked at it very carefully and there are a few avenues there to get nominations. 'He has to apply by the same rules as everyone else. There is nothing special about himself or anyone else. 'Because the president is a such a high office representing Ireland, the job interview is carefully considered by having this system. 'I'm happy enough to leave it as it is. If someone wants to try and change it, you go into the Dáil and get party support and non-party support and you try and change it from there and most likely a referendum would have to be held.' Procedures differ in councils across the country but in Fingal, once a prospective candidate gets the backing of four councillors to appear they will be allowed put forward their case and be given fifteen minutes to make a speech before councillors ask them questions. If a majority of councillors approve them they will have the nomination of the council. Over in Dublin City Council, Lord Mayor Ray McAdam said they will allow anyone to appear before the council to make their case provided they meet the eligibility requirements. 'What we will be doing in the city is on foot of the minister signing the orders for setting the date for the election. We will set a date for a special council meeting whereby anybody who writes to myself and members of the council seeking the nomination – then we will afford them the opportunity to make a presentation. 'They'll each have five minutes to speak and there will be opportunity to put a number of questions and councillors will make a determination on whether a nomination is made for any of those candidates. I think it's a fair way.' He said there would be no filtering out of prospective candidates. 'Anybody who seeks we will afford them the opportunity., I fully expect there will be a number of candidates who will seek a nomination from us. I don't want to prejudice the process but I anticipate we will have a special meeting in September to afford any potential nominees to seek a formal nominations for Dublin city Council.' He said he felt the current system for getting on the ballot paper for the presidential election was fair. 'I think the rules that have been in place governing the process for selection of presidential candidates since Bunreacht na hÉireann was enacted has worked and I don't see what justification or need there is to change that. 'I haven't been convinced by any arguments put forward to change it. We live in a representative democracy, we don't live in a direct democracy and as part of a representative democracy we buy in and accept the articles involved as part of our Constitution; part of that involves how our head of state is selected and the selection process for candidates to get onto the election paper.' He said Fine Gael have so far not issued any edict to councillors to not vote for McGregor but the party has been seeking views of councillors on the matter. 'We will make a decision as a Fine Gael city council group as to what our decision will be in terms of whether to facilitate a nomination or not. We will wait and see what candidates come forward at that stage.'
