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Daily Mail
01-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Woman who won civil rape case against Conor McGregor sues him after MMA fighter's failed appeal bid
A woman who won a civil case against Conor McGregor is now suing him and two other people for damages, claiming they were involved in malicious abuse of court processes. McGregor was ordered to pay £206,000 in damages in November, plus legal costs, to Nikita Hand, who claimed that he raped her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. Hand has now launched proceedings against McGregor, Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins, former neighbours of hers, alleging the three were involved in a misuse of the legal system. The MMA fighter, 37, had intended to call O'Reilly and Cummins to give evidence in support of his appeal. The couple had previously claimed to have witnessed a row between Hand and her former partner, Stephen Redmond, in December 2018. McGregor's legal team argued that this new evidence could support a theory that bruising found on Hand's body may have been caused by her ex-boyfriend. However, McGregor withdrew the application to introduce the evidence before the hearing began. The Court of Appeal noted the last-minute decision to drop what judges called an 'important and contentious' part of the appeal. They described it as 'somewhat mysterious' and awarded Hand her legal costs concerning that aspect of the case. Hand denied the claims made by Cummins and O'Reilly, describing them in an affidavit as untrue and lies. McGregor's appeal was dismissed in full on Thursday. It had challenged a number of issues relating to last year's High Court trial, including the wording of the question put to the jury. His legal team argued it should have specified 'sexual assault' rather than simply asking 'did Conor McGregor assault Nikita Hand? ' They also took issue with how McGregor's interviews with police in Ireland were handled, saying the jury had been told he gave around 100 'no comment' answers during questioning. Outside the court, Hand said: 'This appeal has retraumatised me over and over again, being forced to relive it, what happened has had a huge impact on me.' She added: '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.'
BBC News
01-08-2025
- BBC News
Conor McGregor: Woman who won civil rape case to sue over appeal
A woman who won a civil case against Conor McGregor is to sue him and two other people for damages alleging they engaged in malicious abuse of court November, McGregor was ordered to pay £206,000 in damages plus costs to Nikita Hand, who accused him of raping her in a hotel in Dublin in had intended to call Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins to give evidence at his appeal before withdrawing the application. McGregor lost his appeal on Thursday against the finding that he sexually assaulted Ms Hand. The appeal was based around several issues arising from the civil trial at Dublin's High Court last included reference to the question "did Conor McGregor assault Nikita Hand?" being asked of the jury on the issue legal team said it should have specified sexual also appealed on an issue around the handling of his answers in interviews with gardaí (Irish police officers).His legal team explained that the jury heard McGregor gave about 100 "no comment" answers to gardaí. At the beginning of the process, Ireland's Court of Appeal was told that McGregor had withdrawn an application to have new evidence entered at the proposed evidence was from couple Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins.A previous preliminary hearing was told that they claimed to have witnessed a row between Ms Hand and her former partner Stephen Redmond in December court heard McGregor believed the new evidence suggested that bruising on Nikita Hand's body could have been caused by her former an affidavit, Ms Hand had described the allegations as untrue and senior judges said it was "somewhat mysterious" that what they described as an "important and contentious" part of the appeal had been "cast aside".They awarded Ms Hand costs in relation to this aspect of the case. 'Retraumatised me over and over' Speaking outside court on Thursday, Ms Hand said she was grateful for the support she has received throughout the civil action."This appeal has retraumatised me over and over again, being forced to relive it, what happened has had a huge impact on me," she Hand added: "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."
Irish Times
03-07-2025
- Irish Times
Conor McGregor appeal: Court to ask DPP to consider possible perjury concerning fresh evidence
The Court of Appeal is referring to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), material concerning fresh evidence filed on behalf of Conor McGregor, for consideration of possible perjury. The mixed martial arts fighter's lawyers this week withdrew an application to admit fresh evidence for his appeal against a High Court civil jury finding in favour of Nikita Hand. Ms Hand had sued him over allegedly raping her in Dublin's Beacon Hotel on December 9th, 2018. In sworn evidence, Samantha O'Reilly, a neighbour of Ms Hand's in late 2018, claimed that, from her home, she witnessed a physical altercation between Ms Hand and her then partner Stephen Redmond in their home on the night of December 9th/10th, 2018. Mr McGregor claimed this and other evidence bolstered his denial of responsibility for bruising on the body of Ms Hand noted by a doctor on December 10th, 2018. Ms Hand described the evidence as 'lies' and said Mr Redmond never assaulted her during their relationship. READ MORE The three-judge appeal court reserved judgment on Wednesday on Mr McGregor's appeal over the civil jury finding he assaulted Ms Hand in the hotel, for which it awarded her €250,000 damages. Mr McGregor denied raping Ms Hand and claimed they had consensual and 'vigorous' sex. Ms Hand's senior counsel, John Gordon, asked the court to refer the fresh evidence matter to the DPP for consideration of possible perjury, including possible inducement by Mr McGregor of perjury. After considering material in chambers, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy said the court intended to refer the matter to the DPP and would inform the parties what materials would be forwarded.
BreakingNews.ie
02-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
McGregor appeal material to be referred to DPP amid perjury concern
The Court of Appeal has said it will refer claims by witnesses Conor McGregor pulled from his appeal to the director of public prosecutions (DPP), after concerns about perjury arose. It came after a request by the lawyer of Nikita Hand, 35, who successfully sued McGregor in a civil court over an incident in which he was alleged to have 'brutally raped and battered' her in a penthouse at a south Dublin hotel in December 2018. Advertisement McGregor, who told the court he had consensual sex with Ms Hand, launched an appeal after a jury of eight women and four men found him civilly liable for assault. That appeal was expected to contain fresh evidence following an affidavit from a former neighbour of Ms Hand, Samantha O'Reilly, who 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. Ms Hand denies 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'. On Tuesday, McGregor's legal team dramatically withdrew that ground of appeal, saying it would no longer be relying on the material. Advertisement Conor McGregor outside the High Court in Dublin in 2024 (Brian Lawless/PA) On Wednesday, Ms Hand's lawyer John Gordon SC said she had been disadvantaged by 'highly disparaging and unfair criticisms' in 'widely published' claims from the affidavits, adding that she did not have a chance to reply to them in court before they were withdrawn. Mr Gordon said the application to introduce the witnesses was not just to produce further evidence, but also to 'undermine my client's reputation', including by stating she had lied. Mark Mulholland KC, for McGregor, had raised concerns that the request was an attempt to get the matter on the record for the media, adding that this would be 'wholly inappropriate'. Mr Gordon said Ms Hand was 'put through the wringer yet again' and expressed a desire to cross examine Mr Cummins and Ms O'Reilly. Advertisement He asked the Court of Appeal to use its powers to refer matters to the DPP, citing concerns around perjury. The three judges of the court, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, Mr Justice Brian O'Moore and Mr Justice Patrick MacGrath, said they would do so. After a day and a half of representations, they also said they would reserve their judgment on the appeal matters to a later date, adding that decisions relating to costs that arose during deliberations would be decided at that point also. Ms Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, was awarded 248,603.60 euro in damages and McGregor was also ordered to pay about 1.3 million euro in legal costs following November's trial. Advertisement Nikita Hand, who is also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, leaving the Court of Appeal in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) McGregor's appeal proceeded on other grounds, largely relating to the circumstances under which his 'no comment' answers to gardai were allowed to enter the trial. Remy Farrell SC, also for McGregor, said on Tuesday that an 'enormous amount of no comment material' had been entered into the hearings to no actual proper end. He said this occurred under cross-examination by Mr Gordon and was based on an 'entirely incorrect' paraphrasing of what the appellant had actually said. Mr Farrell said his client had made a comment about wanting to seek the best advice from his solicitors and accused Ms Hand's side of incorrectly interpreting the same comments as a suggestion that McGregor had sought to present himself as someone who was being fully co-operative with gardai. Advertisement Ray Boland SC, for Ms Hand, said it was clear from a holistic consideration of McGregor's evidence that he was putting forward that he wanted to be as co-operative as possible with the investigation. He said it was appropriate for the line of questioning on the no-comment answers to be admissible. Meanwhile, McGregor's co-defendant has also appealed 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. However, trial judge Mr Justice Alexander Owens decided that Ms Hand would not have to pay Mr Lawrence's costs arising out of the proceedings. His legal team is challenging 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. Mr Boland said the success of Mr Lawrence's appeal would present 'grubby realities' where McGregor would effectively 'snaffle' back money he had to pay in damages. He told the court that it had been confirmed that McGregor was paying Mr Lawrence's legal costs. He said that the legal bill for Mr Lawrence, which would be due to be paid by Ms Hand if his appeal is successful, is likely to exceed the award of damages to be paid by McGregor. Mr Boland said this would set the jury's verdict on damages 'at nought' when McGregor was 'preparing to pay over the balance' of all costs relating to the matters. He said that McGregor would 'snaffle' back the money he is paying for damages if the appeal of 'his avatar' meant that Ms Hand had to pay Mr Lawrence's costs instead. He said this would not be in the interests of justice. John Fitzgerald SC, for Mr Lawrence, said Mr Owens made the decision not to award costs based on an incorrect interpretation of the jury's verdict and that his client had an entitlement to costs. The Irish Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment in relation to the appeals of McGregor and Lawrence and will give its decisions at a later date.
Irish Times
16-05-2025
- Irish Times
Conor McGregor's appeal over civil rape case outcome ready to proceed in July
Conor McGregor's appeal against a High Court civil jury finding in favour of Nikita Hand, who alleged he raped her in a Dublin hotel, is ready to proceed in July, a judge was told today. Ms Hand has described as 'lies' claims in an affidavit by Samantha O'Reilly, a former neighbour of hers, that bruising on her body which she alleges was caused by Mr McGregor in the Beacon hotel on December 9th 2018 may have been caused following an alleged row between Ms Hand and her then partner in their home hours later. In a responding affidavit, Ms Hand said her then partner, Stephen Redmond, did not assault her on the night of December 9th/10th 2018 'and never assaulted me in the course of our relationship or since'. She and Mr Redmond had had a verbal argument downstairs in their house that night, a recording of which was played during the High Court case, but that was not so loud that Ms O'Reilly could have heard it, she also said. READ MORE She did not want to speculate on why Ms O'Reilly and her partner Steven Cummins 'are making up these lies' about events on that night, Ms Hand said. Mr McGregor wants to have affidavits from Ms O'Reilly and Mr Cummins admitted for his appeal against the civil jury finding last November in favour of Ms Hand. The jury awarded her almost €250,000 damages. During a case management hearing on Friday, Mr Justice Seamus Noonan was told by Shelley Horan, for Mr McGregor, the appeal was on track on proceed on July 1st and her side's submissions would be filed later on Friday. When the judge was told by counsel for Ms Hand her side were still considering whether to seek an affidavit from Mr Redmond, the judge said he would give them seven days to provide any such affidavit. The appeal court will decide, during the full hearing of the appeal, whether the affidavits from Ms O'Reilly and Mr Cummins, sworn last January, are admissible. Ms O'Reilly has alleged that, on the night of December 9th/10th 2018, she had observed from the upstairs window of her house a row between Ms Hand and Mr Redmond. Ms O'Reilly had said she inferred, from movements of Ms Hand's body, that Mr Redmond had assaulted her on the ground and this explained the bruising on her body seen the next day. The mixed martial arts fighter had persistently denied he assaulted Ms Hand and claims the new material came into his possession after the High Court case and provides a 'plausible' explanation for bruising on Ms Hand's body. The extensive bruising seen on Ms Hand's body when she was examined by a doctor in the Rotunda hospital the day after her encounter with Mr McGregor in the hotel was significant evidence in the High Court case. Gardaí also took photos of the bruising on Tuesday December 11th 2018. Mr McGregor's grounds of appeal are wide-ranging, including claims over the conduct of the 12-day High Court hearing by Mr Justice Alexander Owens. Some grounds focus on whether the trial judge erred in directing the jury be asked to answer whether or not Mr McGregor 'assaulted' Ms Hand rather than whether or not he had 'sexually assaulted' her. In evidence to the High Court, Ms Hand, a 36-year-old mother of one, said she told Mr McGregor she did not want to have intercourse with him, she felt uncomfortable, but he 'would not take no for an answer'. She was wearing a tampon at the time and would not have sex during her period, she said. Mr McGregor denied rape and said he and Ms Hand had 'fully consensual', 'vigorous', 'athletic' sex. He said he was shocked when later shown photos of bruising on Ms Hand, he had not caused them and there was no tampon. When charging the jury, Mr Justice Owens told them if a person proves they were subject by another person to non-consensual sexual activity, that is the tort [a civil wrong causing harm or loss leading to legal liability] of assault. The jury found James Lawrence (35), of Rafter's Road, Drimnagh, had not assaulted Ms Hand through allegedly having sex with her without her consent in the Beacon hotel. Mr Lawrence's appeal against the trial judge's refusal to order Ms Hand to pay his legal costs of the trial will be heard alongside Mr McGregor's appeal.
