Conor McGregor’s rape accuser Nikita Hand was forced to move house after a robbery by a group of men in balaclavas, believed to be supporters of the UFC fighter, the High Court heard.
McGregor, 36, faced an accusation of “raping and brutally beating” Nikita Hand, 35, at a hotel in south Dublin in December 2018.
After deliberating for six hours and ten minutes, the jury returned this afternoon with its verdict in the trial and awarded Mrs Hand around €250,000.
The story emerged at the beginning of the trial, in the context of a claim she wanted to make, for the cost of moving from Drimnagh in Dublin.
With no jury present, his lawyer, John Gordon, told Judge Alexander Owens that the incident occurred on June 14 of this year.
“The plaintiff’s home was invaded by a group of men wearing balaclavas,” he said.
“They entered the plaintiff’s bedroom and were chased out by his partner, who suffered a stab wound in the process. His daughter was sleeping in the next room.
He said the men left after breaking the front room windows.
Mrs Hand leaves the High Court in Dublin after the verdicts were handed down on Friday. In the photo: with her boyfriend, on the right.
Nikita Hand speaking to media outside court as she hears the verdict in her civil case. In the photo: with her boyfriend, on the right.
McGregor, pictured with partner Dee Devlin at the High Court in Dublin this afternoon, faced an accusation of “brutally raping and abusing” Nikita Hand.
“We are not blaming the defendants or saying they had anything to do with it,” he continued.
‘We submit that this was not an untargeted attack, (it arose) from supporters of the first named defendant (Mr McGregor).
“It relates to the claim that he had to move out of the Drimnagh area.”
Judge Owens asked: “You do not claim or present evidence that Mr McGregor had anything to do with this?”
“No, judge, it is special damage,” replied Mr. Gordon.
“It relates to his state of anxiety and his claim that he had to move out of the Drimnagh area, as he has now done.”
The court heard she had requested relocation costs of €750,000.
Conor McGregor’s lawyer, Remy Farrell, said it appeared Hand was making a claim “that has nothing to do with us.”
Nikita Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, won her damages suit against him.
Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor and his partner Dee Devlin leave the High Court
Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, his partner Dee Devlin and his mother Margaret outside the High Court in Dublin, on November 22, 2024.
“It’s extraordinary that there would be an attempt to introduce something like that into the case… to increase the special damages,” he said.
He complained that it would be “an invitation to the jury to speculate.”
Judge Owens ruled: “I consider this to be completely and utterly irrelevant and should not be mentioned.”
Evidence was heard during the case from a property expert, who said houses of a similar size three bedrooms to Ms Hand’s Drimnagh home could cost €200,000 more in neighboring areas of Dublin such as Cabinteely.
His GP also mentioned his “anxiety” about living in Drimnagh and told the court he had recently moved further away from his childhood practice.
However, at the close of the case, his attorney and Judge Owens agreed that no claim would be made for the house move.
The burglary at the house was confirmed by the Garda press office at the time, but no link to McGregor was established.
A Garda spokeswoman said: “Gardaí received a report of an incident of aggravated robbery which occurred at a premises in Drimnagh, Dublin 12, at approximately 2.20am this morning, Friday 14 June.
Ms Hand joined her family and supporters and said she felt vindicated by the outcome.
Ms Hand awarded €248,603.60 after jury decided McGregor was liable
“A man in his 30s has been taken to St James’s Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries as a result of this incident.”
McGregor shook his head as the jury of eight women and four men found him responsible for assaulting Ms Hand.
The MMA fighter previously told the court he had consensual sex with Ms Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, at the Beacon Hotel. He denied causing bruises to the plaintiff.
McGregor has since vowed to appeal the decision, saying he was “disappointed” and “focused on my future.”
Mrs Hand cried and was hugged by her partner and supporters as the verdict was pronounced. Outside court, she described the past two weeks as a “nightmare” but said she felt vindicated.
Separately, she lost her lawsuit against McGregor’s friend James Lawrence, whom she also accused of assaulting her at the Dublin hotel.
While in the jury room today, the jury was given an issue document to record their decisions. He asked them two questions on which they would give a verdict.
The first was: “Did Mr. McGregor assault Ms. Hand?”
The second was: “Did Mr. Lawrence assault Ms. Hand?”
They had to answer “yes” or “no.” An affirmative answer to either option led the jury to decide what damages to award to Ms. Hand.
The total amount of compensation awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was €248,603.60 (£206,621.91).