Conor McGregor Found Liable in Sexual Assault of Nikita Hand, Ordered to Pay $258,646.

Nov 25, 2024, 03:50 PM

Conor McGregor, the Irish mixed martial arts fighter and UFC star, has been found liable for sexual assault by a civil jury in Ireland's High Court in Dublin. The jury ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Nikita Hand, who alleged that McGregor raped her in a Dublin hotel penthouse in December 2018. McGregor has been ordered to pay damages amounting to €250,000 (approximately $258,646). Following the verdict, McGregor released a statement expressing regret for his actions, admitting to "mistakes" and "regrets," and stating his intention to appeal the decision. He apologized to his fiancée, Dee Devlin, stating, "I should have never stepped out on the woman I love most in the world," and acknowledged, "I should have shut the party down." McGregor initially posted a furious tirade on social media branding Hand a "vicious liar," but later deleted the post. In the wake of the verdict, McGregor has faced professional repercussions. Hitman game developers IO Interactive announced they are ceasing their collaboration with McGregor and will remove all content featuring him from the game, effective immediately. This marks the first brand to drop McGregor following the court ruling. Additionally, hundreds of demonstrators staged a protest in Dublin in support of Hand, expressing "utter solidarity" with the woman who won the civil rape case against McGregor. McGregor's legal challenges continue as he faces another courtroom battle with former UFC fighter Artem Lobov, who is suing him for $8 million, claiming he is owed a 5% stake in the Proper No. Twelve whiskey brand. A date for this case is due to be set for January. McGregor's co-defendant in the sexual assault case, James Lawrence, is also involved in ongoing legal proceedings regarding costs associated with the action.