A CIVIL case jury has ruled that Conor McGregor sexually assaulted Nikita Hand.
However, the jury found that his friend James Lawrence did not assault her.
McGregor was joined today by partner Dee Devlin, with the pair seen entering the High Court hand in hand.
McGregor’s father Tony, mother Margaret and sister Aoife were also in the courtroom with him.
Mr Justice Alex Owens yesterday completed his two-day charge to the jury of eight women and four men.
The panel continued their deliberations this morning after sitting through eight days of evidence.
Nikita Hand, 35, had accused mixed martial arts fighter McGregor of a brutal rape after a Christmas night out.
The former hair colourist sought civil damages against the 36-year-old sports star over the alleged rape at a Dublin hotel penthouse in December 2018.
McGregor, who took the stand to claim he had consensual sex with Ms Hand, denied all allegations, as does co-defendant James Lawrence.
The jury in the High Court trial was sent out for deliberation at 3pm on Thursday following final remarks from the judge.
Mr Justice Owens told jurors that the onus of proof was on the plaintiff – and the standard of proof is on balance of probabilities.
The judge urged the jury: “Look at all the evidence.”
Judge Owens told jurors if they found that McGregor assaulted Ms Hand, they would have the option of awarding aggravated and punitive damages, as well as a general award of compensation.
After deliberating for around one hour on Thursday, the jury were sent home for the night at 4pm.
The judge had cautioned the jury not to discuss their deliberations with anyone last night, including any loved ones who must be “madly interested in all of this”.
The jury resumed their deliberations just after 10am today.
The jury of eight women and four men was given an issue paper, with a number of questions.
KEY QUESTION
Question one asked: “Did Conor McGregor assault Nikita Hand?”
The judge said if they answered no to this question, then that is the end of the case against Mr McGregor.
But if they answered yes, they would then go on to consider damages.
Ms Hand has sued both Mr McGregor and Mr Lawrence, alleging the pair “brutally raped and battered” her in a hotel penthouse six years ago.
The mum-of-one, from Drimnagh in Dublin, claimed they both raped her in the Beacon Hotel, Dublin, on December 9, 2018, during a cocaine and alcohol-fuelled afterparty.
CONSENSUAL CLAIM
Both denied her allegation, and claimed the sex was consensual.
Before the jury were sent out to begin considering its decision, Justice Owens yesterday finished summarising Mr McGregor’s evidence.
Mr McGregor described Ms Hand’s allegation that he raped her as “lies”.
He added: “She performed oral sex on me. We began to take our clothes off. We were both naked in the bedroom and we moved to the bed.
“We began engaging in fully consensual sex. It began in the missionary position.”
McGregor told the court the sex was “enthusiastic and athletic”.
PHOTO EVIDENCE
The cage fighter was shown photos of bruises on the complainant’s body taken in the days after the alleged assault.
Under cross-examination by Ms Hand’s barrister John Gordon, Mr McGregor denied causing the bruises, saying they “possibly came from her diving into the bath”.
But Mr Gordon drew the jury’s attention to the medical evidence about the severity of Ms Hand’s bruises.
And Ms Hand’s barrister highlighted how a tampon had to be removed from her using forceps in hospital when she attended after the alleged rape.
Ms Hand gave evidence alleging Mr McGregor raped her in the hotel room while she was on her period and using a tampon.
The jury heard evidence that a tampon worn by the plaintiff on the night had to be removed by a doctor using forceps.
‘NEW VERSION OF EVENTS’
Mr Gordon said it was “obvious” that, as the case approached, Mr McGregor “thought the tampon was going to be a problem” and this was why, in evidence, he claimed that there had been no tampon present in Ms Hand.
Mr Gordon said that Mr McGregor’s and Mr Lawrence’s claim that there was no tampon was never put to Ms Hand in court because Mr McGregor did not say this to his legal team.
Mr Gordon said: “It was a whole new version of events. Rather him repeating that my client is a liar, the liar here is Mr McGregor who doesn’t have the courage or the decency to own up to what he did.
“He’s not a man, he’s a devious coward and you should treat him for what he is.”
And referring to bruising on Ms Hand’s body, Mr Gordon said: “Let’s put it this way: somebody did it. It happened in the Beacon Hotel. It was Mr McGregor.”
