Court of Appeal defers judgment on Conor McGregor's civil rape appeal
Nikita Hand, a 36-year-old Irish mother of one, alleged that Conor McGregor, an Irish mixed martial arts fighter, raped her in the Beacon Hotel, Sandyford, Dublin, on 9 December 2018. A civil jury in November 2024 found that McGregor assaulted Hand and awarded her €250,000 in damages plus legal costs estimated at around €1.3 million, while finding that James Lawrence, an Irish man, did not assault her. McGregor appealed to the Court of Appeal in early July 2025, arguing the trial judge erred in directing the jury to decide whether he assaulted rather than sexually assaulted Hand, and sought to introduce fresh evidence from neighbours and a pathologist to challenge bruising noted on 10 December 2018. His lawyers withdrew that fresh evidence at the outset of the hearing, and the Court of Appeal referred the withdrawn material to the DPP for consideration of possible perjury. Judgment on both McGregor's appeal and Lawrence's linked costs appeal was reserved to a later date.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court1 Jul
5 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Nikita Hand, a 36-year-old Irish mother of one, alleged that Conor McGregor, an Irish mixed martial arts fighter, raped her in the Beacon Hotel, Sandyford, Dublin, on 9 December 2018.
- When
- The alleged incident occurred on 9 December 2018; bruising was noted by a doctor on 10 December 2018 and photographed by Gardaí on 11 December 2018.
- Investigation
- Gardaí took photographs of bruising on Hand's body on 11 December 2018.
- In court
- A civil jury in November 2024 found that McGregor assaulted Hand and awarded her €250,000 in damages plus legal costs estimated at around €1.3 million.
- The same jury found that James Lawrence, an Irish man aged 35 (reports differ, 36), did not assault Hand.
- McGregor appealed to the Court of Appeal, arguing the trial judge erred in directing the jury to decide whether he assaulted rather than sexually assaulted Hand and in permitting questioning about his no-comment responses to gardaí.
- McGregor's lawyers withdrew fresh evidence from neighbours Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins and from Dr Jack Crane at the outset of the appeal hearing on 1 July 2025.
- The Court of Appeal referred the withdrawn material to the DPP for consideration of possible perjury.
- James Lawrence brought a linked appeal over a refusal to award him costs against Hand, and judgment on both appeals was reserved to a later date.
- Other details
- McGregor was paying Lawrence's legal costs for the civil case.
- Hand said her then partner Stephen Redmond did not assault her on the night of 9/10 December 2018.
27 statements extracted from the articles
- whatHand is a 36-year-old mother-of-one. (irishtimes.com)
- whatMs Hand is a 36-year-old mother of one. (irishtimes.com)
- whatMr McGregor's lawyers withdrew the evidence arising from case law considerations and reservations about admissibility of evidence from Dr Jack Crane (irishtimes.com)
- whatMcGregor sought to introduce fresh evidence to bolster his claim he was not responsible for bruising on Hand's body noted by a doctor on 10 December 2018. (irishtimes.com)
- whatMcGregor claimed the evidence bolstered his denial of responsibility for bruising on Ms Hand's body noted by a doctor on December 10th, 2018. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe evidence was withdrawn at the outset of the appeal on Tuesday (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí took photos of the bruising on Tuesday, 11 December 2018. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe appeal hearing is listed for up to three days. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe appeal court will also decide whether an affidavit from former Northern Ireland state pathologist Dr Jack Crane is admissible. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMark Mulholland KC applied to withdraw the fresh evidence in light of case law and court reservations about Prof Jack Crane's evidence. (irishtimes.com)
- courtGordon SC noted there might be an issue about referring matters to the DPP for perjury proceedings. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe Court of Appeal will refer withdrawn material to the DPP for consideration of possible perjury (irishtimes.com)
- courtJudgment on both appeals will be given on a later date (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe court would view the withdrawn material in chambers (irishtimes.com)
- courtOne ground of appeal was that the trial judge erred in directing the jury to decide whether McGregor assaulted rather than sexually assaulted Hand. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe court agreed to refer the withdrawn material to the DPP for consideration of possible perjury. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe Court of Appeal is referring material concerning fresh evidence to the DPP for consideration of possible perjury. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMs Justice Isobel Kennedy said the court intended to refer the matter to the DPP and would inform the parties what materials would be forwarded. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe jury awarded Hand almost €250,000 in damages. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceMs Hand was awarded €250,000 damages and got her legal costs against Mr McGregor. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceMs Hand was awarded €250,000 damages and legal costs estimated around €1.3 million (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe civil jury awarded Ms Hand €250,000 damages. (irishtimes.com)
- otherHand said her then partner Stephen Redmond did not assault her on the night of 9/10 December 2018. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMichael Staines, solicitor for McGregor, will give evidence concerning the circumstances in which the two witnesses came forward. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMs Hand was in court accompanied by her partner Gary Foy, her mother Deborah, a cousin and some friends; Mr McGregor was not in court. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMs Hand was in court accompanied by her partner Gary Foy and mother Deborah (irishtimes.com)
- otherMcGregor was paying Lawrence's legal costs for the civil case. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 3 Jul2025Conor McGregor appeal: Court to ask DPP to consider possible perjury concerning fresh evidence
Court of Appeal reserved judgment on McGregor's appeal and is referring fresh evidence to the DPP for possible perjury consideration, including possible inducement of perjury by McGregor.
accused, Conor McGregor, male, named, irish (judged from name)Conor McGregorvictim, Nikita Hand, femaleNikita Hand - 3 Jul2025Court defers judgment on Conor McGregor’s appeal over finding of assault in civil rape case
Court of Appeal hearing of McGregor's appeal; judgment reserved; withdrawn neighbour affidavits referred to DPP for possible perjury; linked appeal by James Lawrence also reserved.
victim, Nikita Hand, femaleNikita Handaccused, Conor McGregor, male, named, irish (judged from name)Conor McGregoraccused, James Lawrence, 36, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Lawrence - 2 Jul2025Court to refer withdrawn material in Conor McGregor appeal for consideration of possible perjury
The Court of Appeal (Mr Justice O'Moore and Ms Justice Kennedy) referred the withdrawn evidence—Samantha O'Reilly's sworn claim of witnessing an altercation between Nikita Hand and Stephen Redmond—to the DPP for possible perjury. The court also heard James Lawrence's linked costs appeal. Ms Hand, 36, was in court with partner Gary Foy and mother Deborah. Judgment on both appeals deferred.
victim, Nikita Hand, 36, female, irish (judged from name)Nikita Handsuspect, Conor McGregor, male, named, irish (judged from name)Conor McGregorsuspect, James Lawrence, 36, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Lawrence - 1 Jul2025Conor McGregor withdraws ‘fresh evidence’ from Nikita Hand’s neighbours over alleged row with her ex-partner
Details the withdrawal of fresh evidence (Samantha O'Reilly, Steven Cummins, Prof Jack Crane), the arguments over 'no comment' responses and the 'assault' versus 'sexually assaulted' direction to the jury, and the conclusion of submissions with judgment to be reserved.
victim, Nikita Hand, 36, female, Irish, irishNikita Handsuspect, Conor McGregor, male, Irish, named, irishConor McGregorsuspect, James Lawrence, 35, male, Irish, named, irishJames Lawrence - 1 Jul2025Nikita Hand faces cross-examination by Conor McGregor’s lawyers in civil rape trial appeal
Reports the opening of the Court of Appeal hearing, the three-judge panel (Kennedy, O'Moore, MacGrath), McGregor's grounds of appeal including the 'assaulted' vs 'sexually assaulted' direction, new affidavits from neighbours Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins, the admissibility question for Dr Jack Crane's affidavit, and Lawrence's separate costs appeal.
victim, Nikita Hand, 36, female, irish (judged from name)Nikita Handsuspect, Conor McGregor, male, named, irish (judged from name)Conor McGregorsuspect, James Lawrence, 35, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Lawrence