McGregor’s appeal in the sexual assault case is denied by an Irish court
Ireland’s Court of Appeal rejected Conor McGregor’s appeal in its entirety on Thursday, thereby ending his attempt to reverse a jury’s judgment that he pay compensation to a woman who accused him of raping her.
Nikita Hand, the complainant, claimed that on December 9, 2018, McGregor sexually attacked her. Last November, a jury ruled that McGregor must compensate her with damages of about 250,000 euros ($285,250).
McGregor, 36, claimed to have had “fully consensual sex” with Hand and refuted the accusation. Additionally, he denied bruising the complainant.
McGregor’s attorneys argued in the appeal heard earlier this month that the judge erred in instructing the jury to determine whether he “assaulted” the victim instead of “sexually assaulted” her.
Judge Brian O’Moore stated on Thursday that the appeal court was certain that the trial judge’s charge had the overall effect of informing them that Hand’s main accusation against McGregor was that he had sexually assaulted her.
Additionally, McGregor’s defense team had contended that the court ought to have barred a line of inquiry about McGregor’s “no comment” answers in a police interview during cross-examination. That argument was also dismissed.
Following the appellate court’s decision, Hand embraced several individuals next to her.
“I understand how difficult it is for all survivors, but please don’t let that stop you… You are entitled to justice and to be heard. In a statement outside the court, Hand said, “I can finally move on and try to heal today.”
In November, Hand told the high court that following a work Christmas party, she and a friend contacted McGregor, whom she knew. She claimed that McGregor took them to a party in a rooftop room of a hotel in Dublin where they used narcotics and drank beer.
She claimed that on Thursday, McGregor, who was not present in court, led her to the penthouse’s bedroom and sexually attacked her.
Hand’s attorney informed the jury that a doctor was so alarmed that he ordered pictures of her injuries to be taken when she was sent to a sexual assault treatment facility the day following the alleged assault.
