Irish combined martial arts fighter Conor McGregor arrives at courtroom, on the day he attends a civil trial on allegations of sexual assault, in Dublin, Eire, on November 19, 2024. —Reuters
DUBLIN: Irish combined martial arts fighter Conor McGregor assaulted a lady at a celebration in Dublin in 2018 and should pay her almost 250,000 euros ($259,950) in damages, a jury selected Friday.
The jury of eight ladies and 4 males reached its verdict within the civil trial at Eire’s excessive courtroom after six hours and 10 minutes of deliberation.
The plaintiff, Nikita Hand, alleged that McGregor sexually assaulted her on December 9, 2018, and that one other man, James Lawrence, did the identical, the courtroom heard throughout two weeks of proof.
The jury discovered that Lawrence didn’t assault Hand. McGregor left the courtroom by way of a big scrum of reporters with out commenting and later posted on X that he deliberate to enchantment the choice.
McGregor, 36, denied the allegation and mentioned he had “fully consensual sex” with Hand. He additionally denied inflicting bruising to the plaintiff.
Hand’s lawyer instructed the jury that when she was referred to a sexual assault therapy unit the day after the alleged assault, a physician was so involved that he directed that images be taken of her accidents.
Hand mentioned that she and a good friend made contact with McGregor, who she knew, after a piece Christmas celebration. She mentioned they have been pushed by McGregor to a celebration in a penthouse room of a south Dublin resort the place medicine and alcohol have been consumed.
She mentioned McGregor took her right into a bed room within the penthouse and sexually assaulted her.
Talking outdoors the courtroom, Hand mentioned she was overwhelmed by the help she had acquired 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 mentioned.
