Court declines Conor McGregor's appeal in sexual assault trial
Conor McGregor's Appeal Against Rape Allegation Verdict Rejected
Conor McGregor's appeal against a civil jury's finding that he raped Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel room in December 2018 has been rejected by the Court of Appeal in Ireland. The court's decision, announced on July 31, 2025, effectively upholds the original verdict.
The jury in the High Court had found McGregor liable and awarded Hand nearly 250,000 euros ($285,250) in damages. The Court of Appeal, however, dismissed McGregor's appeal in its entirety.
The court also criticised McGregor for publicly questioning the jury's verdict and Ms. Hand's testimony. As a result, Ms. Hand was awarded her legal costs at the highest level related to the appeal evidence issues, and the matter was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The alleged incident occurred on December 9, 2018, with Hand claiming that she and a friend made contact with McGregor after a work Christmas party. Hand's lawyer stated that a doctor at a sexual assault treatment unit was concerned about her injuries and directed photographs to be taken.
Hand issued a statement outside the court, expressing support for survivors and her desire to move on and heal. She alleged that the incident occurred in a bedroom in a penthouse room of a Dublin hotel.
McGregor, 36, denied the allegation and claimed that he had consensual sex with Hand. However, the Court of Appeal rejected McGregor's arguments that the judge erred in directing the jury to decide whether he "assaulted" rather than "sexually assaulted" the victim.
Additionally, McGregor's legal team argued that the judge should not have allowed a line of questioning during cross-examination regarding McGregor's "no comment" responses in a police interview. These arguments were also dismissed by the court.
Following the appeal court ruling, Nikita Hand embraced several people outside the court. The specific details of the alleged assault or any further legal proceedings were not addressed in the given paragraph.
[1] The Irish Times: Conor McGregor's appeal against rape verdict rejected
[2] BBC News: Conor McGregor's rape appeal rejected
[1] In the latest development on the Conor McGregor rape trial, the Court of Appeal in Ireland has turned down his appeal against the verdict, upholding the initial decision.
[2] The rejection of McGregor's appeal against the rape allegation verdict by the Court of Appeal in Ireland brings a conclusion to a high-profile general-news case, but it's worth noting that specific details of the alleged assault were not addressed in the given paragraph. In sports news, McGregor's focus will likely shift back to mixed-martial-arts as he continues his career in the UFC.
