A Dublin court has ordered Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor to pay a staggering 437 million naira in damages (equivalent to €248,603 or £206,000) to Nikita Hand, a woman who accused him of rape. 
Ms. Hand claimed that McGregor assaulted her in a Dublin hotel penthouse in December 2018, leaving her with significant physical and emotional trauma. The jury at Dublin’s High Court ruled in her favor, awarding her the compensation after finding McGregor liable for the assault. During the trial, Ms. Hand detailed the harrowing experience, accusing McGregor of pinning her to a bed, choking her three times, and brutally raping her. Medical reports presented to the court described her injuries, including bruising on her hands and wrists, a scratch on her breast, and neck tenderness.
McGregor, 36, denied the allegations, asserting that the encounter was consensual. He left the courtroom swiftly after the verdict and later issued a statement expressing disappointment with the decision. “I have instructed my legal team to appeal the civil court’s decision. I am focused on my family and my future,” he said.
An emotional Ms. Hand spoke outside the court, declaring, “Justice has been served.” She expressed gratitude for the support she received throughout the trial.
