A jury at Ireland’s high court has found that the Irish martial arts fighter Conor McGregor assaulted a woman who had accused him of raping her at a hotel in Dublin in December 2018.

McGregor was ordered pay nearly €250,000 (£210,000) in damages to Nikita Hand, who is also known as Nikita Ní Laimhín. The jury of eight women and four men reached its verdict after six hours and 10 minutes of deliberation.

The 36-year-old fighter had been accused of “brutally raping and battering” Hand. Hand’s lawyer told the jury that when she was referred to a sexual assault treatment unit the day after the alleged assault, a doctor was so concerned that he directed that photographs be taken of her injuries.

McGregor denied the allegation and said that he had “fully consensual sex” with Hand. He also denied causing bruising to the plaintiff. McGregor, who was once one of the highest-earning sports stars in the world worth a reputed $200m, told the court that Hand’s accusations against him were “full of lies” verging on “fantasy”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/22/mma-fighter-conor-mcgregor-assaulted-woman-at-dublin-hotel-jury-finds