BBC
A woman who accused Conor McGregor of raping her has won her claim against him for damages in a civil case.
A jury found that the Irish mixed martial arts fighter assaulted Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.
He has been ordered to pay her more than €248,000 (£206,000) in damages.
Speaking outside the court on Friday, Ms Hand said her story was “a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be to speak up, you have a voice”.
In a post on X on Friday evening, McGregor said he would appeal against the verdict and he thanked “all my support worldwide”.
“I am with my family now, focused on my future” he added.
The jury at the High Court in Dublin had been deliberating for a day before returning its verdict that McGregor did assault Ms Hand.
She had also taken a case against another man, James Lawrence, 35, of Rafter’s Road, Drimnagh in Dublin.
She alleged that he assaulted her by having sex with her without her consent in the Beacon Hotel.
The jury found that he did not assault her.
‘Justice will be served’
Ms Hand told reporters said she was “overwhelmed and touched” by the support she had received.
She added: “I want to show [my daughter] Freya and every other young girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and that justice will be served.”
Both men had denied the claims by the 35-year-old hair colourist and said they separately had consensual sex with Ms Hand at the hotel almost six years ago.
After eight days of evidence and three days listening to closing speeches and the judge’s comments, the jury of eight women and four men spent six hours and 10 minutes deliberating before returning with its verdict.
McGregor shook his head after the jury read out that Ms Hand had won her case against him.
He was accompanied by his partner Dee Devlin, his parents, his sister and his brother-in-law.
He sat in the back row of the court, between his partner and mother Margaret.
Ms Hand cried and was hugged by her partner and supporters.
PA Media James Lawrence, who has light brown hair and wears a blue and navy coat. He has his back partially turned to the camera with his head tilted towards it.PA Media
The jury found that James Lawrence did not assault Nikita Hand
The jury had previously heard that on the day of the attack Ms Hand and her colleague Danielle Kealy went to the hotel’s penthouse suite with McGregor and Mr Lawrence after their work Christmas party.
They gave evidence of how they had been partying all night from 8 December into the morning of 9 December and had been heavily drinking and taking cocaine.
‘Placed in a chokehold’
Ms Hand, a mother-of-one, told the court how McGregor had pinned her to a bed before assaulting her.
She was left with extensive bruises and abrasions over her body, including on her hands and wrists.
