A girl who accused Conor McGregor of raping her has mentioned “justice has been served” after she gained her civil case in opposition to the Irish combined martial arts fighter.
Nikita Hand has been awarded €248,603 (£206,000) in damages after a jury at Dublin’s Excessive Court docket discovered McGregor assaulted her in a Dublin lodge in 2018.
McGregor, 36, made no remark as he swiftly left courtroom following the choice on Friday night.
He later mentioned in a press release that he had instructed his authorized crew to enchantment the civil courtroom’s determination, including that he was “disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence that the director of public prosecutions reviewed”.
He ended the assertion saying: “I am with my family, focused on my future.”
McGregor had beforehand advised the courtroom he had consensual intercourse with Ms Hand in a penthouse on the Beacon Resort in December 2018.
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Ms Hand mentioned the civil case had been a ‘nightmare’. Pic: Brian Lawless/PA
‘Regardless of who the particular person is, justice shall be served’
Talking outdoors courtroom after the choice, an emotional Ms Hand mentioned the weeks of her civil case in opposition to the fighter have been a “nightmare” and has impacted not solely her life however her daughter’s, associates and family members.
“I would like to start off by saying I’m overwhelmed and touched by the support I have received from everybody,” the mother-of-one mentioned.
“It’s something that I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.
“Now that justice has been served, I can now attempt to transfer on and stay up for the long run with my household and associates and daughter.”
Addressing other victims of sexual assault, Ms Hand continued: “I hope my story is a reminder that irrespective of how afraid you may be: Converse up, you have got a voice and carry on preventing for justice.
“You can stand up for yourself if something happens to you – no matter who the person is – and justice will be served.”
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McGregor and companion Dee Devlin depart the Excessive Court docket. Pic: Brian Lawless/PA
Ms Hand advised the civil courtroom McGregor pinned her to a mattress, choked her 3 times and “brutally raped and battered” her.
The jury was advised she was left with in depth accidents, together with purple and blue bruising alongside her fingers and wrists, a bloodied scratch to her breast and tenderness to her neck.
However attorneys for the fighter contested the lawsuit and accused her of tried “extortion”.
They pointed to CCTV footage of Ms Hand arriving at and leaving the lodge with McGregor and a second man, James Lawrence, whom she additionally accused of sexual assault.
Each McGregor and Lawrence denied any wrongdoing. Whereas Ms Hand gained her case in opposition to McGregor, she misplaced her declare in opposition to Lawrence.
On Monday, McGregor’s authorized crew advised jurors it didn’t matter if they didn’t like and even loathed the well-known fighter, urging them to take a look at the proof and never his character.
McGregor and Ms Hand knew one another and had sometimes been involved on social media, the civil trial heard.
Earlier than the assault, Ms Hand had contacted the fighter, who picked up her and a good friend in his automotive.
McGregor “came on to her”, however she didn’t need to have sexual activity with him as she was on her interval, the courtroom heard.
