Nikita Hand wins civil case against MMA fighter Conor McGregor

A woman who won her civil claim against Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor has said she hoped her case will remind victims of assault to keep “pushing forward for justice”.

Nikita Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a High Court civil case.

The jury in the civil case against Mr McGregor delivered its verdict on Friday afternoon.

The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was 248,603.60 euro.

Speaking outside court, Ms Hand said: “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.

“I know this has impacted not only my life, my daughter’s, my family and friends tremendously.

“It’s something that I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.

“Now that justice has been served, I can now try and move on and look forward to the future with my family and friends and daughter.”

Asked if she felt vindicated following the jury’s decision, she said: “Yes, I do. Thank you.”

Mr McGregor had faced an accusation that he “brutally raped and battered” Nikita Hand at a hotel in south Dublin in December 2018.

The Irish sports star previously told the court he had consensual sex with Ms Hand in a penthouse at the Beacon Hotel.

Ms Hand, who is also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, lost her case against another man, James Lawrence, who she accused of assaulting her by allegedly having sex without her consent at the same hotel.

Following eight days of evidence and three days listening to closing speeches and the judge’s charge, the jury of eight women and four men spent six hours and 10 minutes deliberating before returning with its verdict.

Mr McGregor shook his head after the jury read out that Ms Hand had won her case against him.

Mr McGregor was accompanied by his family, including his partner Dee Devlin, parents, sister and brother-in-law.

He sat in the back row of the court between his partner and mother Margaret.

Ms Hand, 35, cried and was hugged by her partner and supporters.

A number of police were in the courtroom as the verdict was delivered.

Ms Hand thanked her partner and family for their support.

She said: “I want to thank my partner Gary, who has been so supportive for the last four years and has held my hand throughout this trial every day and every other day.

“I want to thank my mam and all my family and friends.

“Lastly, I want to thank my daughter Freya, who I’m most grateful for.

“She has given me so much strength and courage over the last six years throughout this nightmare to keep on pushing forward for justice.

“I want to show Freya and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you – no matter who the person is – and justice will be served.”

Ms Hand said the weeks of her civil case against Mr McGregor have been a “nightmare”.

“I would like to start off by saying I’m overwhelmed and touched by the support I have received from everybody.”

She thanked her legal team, the judge and jury, gardai and paramedics, as well as doctors and nurses who provided her treatment and the Rape Crisis Centre.

Speaking to reporters outside the Dublin court, an emotional Ms Hand added: “I want to thank all the women and men out there who have supported me throughout this trial.

“For every person who reached out to me – a card, a letter, an email, everything – it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Thank you, I really appreciate it so much.”

Earlier, as the judge returned to the courtroom, Mr McGregor could be heard breathing loudly and heavily.

Justice Alexander Owens warned those in the court to remain calm before the jury were called back.

“I understand the jury has a verdict,” Justice Owens said.

“I want everyone to remain calm. I want no scenes. Anyone who makes a scene will find themselves in jail.”

The case, which opened on November 5, had previously heard that on the day of the attack, Ms Hand and her work colleague Danielle Kealy went to the penthouse suite with Mr McGregor and Mr Lawrence after their work Christmas party.

They had given evidence of how they had been partying all night from December 8 and into the morning of December 9, and had been heavily drinking and taking cocaine.

Ms Hand, a mother-of-one, told the court how Mr McGregor had pinned her to the bed in the hotel bedroom before assaulting her.

During her evidence to the court, Ms Hand said she thought she would never see her young daughter again when the MMA star was “choking” her.

The court heard that as she was being attacked, she “froze and couldn’t move or breathe”.

She said she had held up both hands and had tried to get away from him, but said the more she struggled, the more he appeared to like it.

“The only thing I could move was my head. I bit him but I can’t remember where. He didn’t like it, so he flipped me around and put his arm around my neck and choked me,” she said.

Ms Hand, a mother-of-one, was left with extensive bruises and abrasions over her body, including purple and blue bruising along her hands and wrists, a bloodied scratch on her breast and tenderness on her neck after she said she was placed in a “chokehold” by Mr McGregor.

Mr McGregor denied he caused the bruising across her body, saying they could have been caused when she “swan dived” into the bath in the hotel room.

The court heard how Ms Hand suffered serious physical and psychological injuries as a result of the attack by Mr McGregor and that she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Ms Hand was taken in an ambulance to the Rotunda Hospital the following day where she was assessed in the sexual assault treatment unit (SATU).

A paramedic, who examined Ms Hand the day after the assault, had told the court she had not seen “someone so bruised” in a long time.

Ms Hand had also been worried about a tampon she had been wearing on the night she was assaulted.

Dr Daniel Kane, who works as a gynaecologist as well as a forensic examiner in sexual assault cases, explained how he had to use forceps to remove the tampon which had been “wedged inside”.

Ms Hand broke down several times as she gave evidence for almost three days and sought a number of breaks.

The jury had been told how Ms Hand had to leave her job as a hairdresser and has not been able to work since due to her mental health, that her relationship with her partner ended months after the incident, she had to move out of her home in Drimnagh, and her mortgage is now in arrears.

She also said she had to stop seeing a counsellor because she could no longer afford to pay for the sessions.

The court also heard that she has spent more than 4,000 euro on GP, pharmacy and psychotherapist costs.