McGregor's civil sexual assault lawsuit ruling is upheld following an appeal
Conor McGregor Loses Appeal in Sexual Assault Case
Conor McGregor, the renowned mixed martial artist, has lost his appeal against a civil jury's finding that he sexually assaulted a woman named Nikita Hand. The Irish High Court decisively upheld the jury’s ruling, dismissing McGregor's appeal and maintaining his liability for damages.
The Court of Appeal in Dublin rejected all grounds of McGregor's appeal, with Judge Brian O'Moore expressing displeasure over the abrupt withdrawal of new evidence. The withdrawn evidence, an affidavit from a former neighbor of Ms. Hand, was described as "somewhat mysterious" and its abandonment supported Ms. Hand's claim that a witness was lying.
McGregor's legal team attempted to introduce this fresh evidence, including new testimony from the alleged victim's neighbor, who claimed to have witnessed a prior physical altercation involving her. However, this evidence was withdrawn shortly before the appeal hearing began.
The court also rejected McGregor's challenge regarding the admission of his Garda (police) interviews about the incident and his contention that the jury instructions should have specified "sexual assault" rather than just "assault."
The court signaled its intention to refer the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions, suggesting possible further criminal consideration, although McGregor has not faced criminal charges for this incident to date.
After losing the appeal, McGregor publicly denied the allegations and strongly rejected claims that he tried to negotiate a monetary settlement with Hand or her legal team. He stated that Hand and her team sought a secret €3 million deal after she was caught lying under oath, which he refused.
Following the trial, McGregor was ordered to pay Nikita Hand nearly €250,000 (£215,000) in damages and around €1.3m (£1.1m) in legal costs. The trial judge decided that Ms Hand would not have to pay Mr Lawrence's costs.
Outside court, Nikita Hand described the case as a "long and painful journey" and expressed support for survivors of sexual assault, urging them to come forward and seek justice.
It remains unclear if McGregor will pursue a further appeal to the Supreme Court of Ireland. McGregor's co-defendant, James Lawrence, has also lost his appeal against the trial judge’s decision not to award him his legal costs.
References: [1] RTE News. (2025, July 29). Conor McGregor loses appeal against sexual assault verdict. https://www.rte.ie/sport/2025/0729/1174758-conor-mcgregor-sexual-assault-appeal/ [2] The Guardian. (2025, July 29). Conor McGregor loses appeal against sexual assault verdict. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jul/29/conor-mcgregor-loses-appeal-against-sexual-assault-verdict [3] The Irish Times. (2025, July 29). Conor McGregor loses appeal against sexual assault verdict. https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/conor-mcgregor-loses-appeal-against-sexual-assault-verdict-1.4717181 [4] BBC News. (2025, July 29). Conor McGregor denies sexual assault allegations and settlement claims. https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/61609044
- Despite Conor McGregor's legal appeal, the Irish High Court upheld the jury's decision on the sexual assault case, indicating that general-news outlets might continue to cover the story.
- The withdrawal of new evidence by McGregor's legal team during his appeal influenced the Court of Appeal's decision, raising questions about the credibility of witnesses in crime-and-justice cases.
- In the midst of the sexual assault controversy, entertainment analysts discuss the impact on Conor McGregor's public image and endorsements, particularly within the sports world.
