Conor McGregor's appeal against a civil court decision that found him liable for assault is set to begin at Dublin's Court of Appeal on Tuesday morning. The mixed martial arts fighter is challenging a jury verdict that awarded his accuser £206,000 in damages.
Former hairdresser Nikita Hand, 35, successfully sued McGregor over an incident at the Beacon Hotel in south Dublin in December 2018. She alleged the fighter "brutally raped and battered" her in a penthouse suite at the hotel.
High Court jury verdict
During the three-week High Court case in Dublin last November, McGregor maintained he had consensual sex with Hand. The jury of eight women and four men deliberated for six hours and 10 minutes before finding McGregor civilly liable for assault.
Hand was awarded 248,603.60 euro (approximately £206,000) in damages following the verdict. A judge ordered McGregor to pay Hand 100,000 euro (£85,000) of the damages and 200,000 euro (£170,000) towards an expected 1.3 million euro (£1.1 million) in legal costs before the appeal could proceed.
Second defendant cleared
Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, lost her case against another man, James Lawrence, who she accused of assaulting her. She alleged Lawrence had sex with her without consent at the same hotel on the same occasion.
The Court of Appeal in Dublin will hear new evidence in support of McGregor's appeal on Tuesday morning. The court has confirmed that McGregor has already paid the required damages and legal costs as ordered by the judge.
(PA/London) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
