Conor McGregor loses appeal in civil sexual assault case in Ireland

McGregor’s appeal was dismissed by Irish court after jury upheld verdict given in 2018, Dublin hotel incident case.

Conor McGregor has lost his appeal in a civil case where he was found liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in 2018. The ruling, delivered on Thursday by Ireland’s Court of Appeal, upholds the original High Court decision that ordered McGregor to pay more than €250,000 (approximately $285,000) in damages to Hand.

The appeal was rejected in its entirety by a panel of three judges, with Mr. Justice Brian O’Moore stating there was "nothing" in McGregor's claims that justified overturning the jury’s verdict. The UFC fighter had previously argued that legal errors during the trial had led to an unfair outcome, including the wording of a key question posed to the jury and the inclusion of his police interview responses, where he gave around 100 “no comment” answers.

McGregor’s legal team took issue with the jury being asked whether he had “assaulted” Hand, claiming the question should have specified “sexual assault.” However, the judges ruled that the jury clearly understood the allegation involved rape, and that the broader term did not cause confusion. They also rejected arguments that referencing McGregor’s police interview responses created an unfair inference of guilt.

The appeal also saw McGregor withdraw new evidence before proceedings began. The proposed evidence, from former neighbors of Hand, suggested her injuries may have been caused by a separate altercation with an ex-partner. The withdrawal of this evidence was described by the judges as “somewhat mysterious,” and Hand was awarded legal costs related to that portion of the case.

McGregor was not present in court for the decision, but Nikita Hand attended the hearing, supported by friends and family. Outside the courthouse, she delivered an emotional statement, expressing gratitude for those who stood by her and encouraging other survivors to seek justice. “This appeal has retraumatised me over and over again… You deserve to be heard, you also deserve justice,” she said.

"This appeal has re-traumatised me over and over again."

Nikita Hand speaks outside court after Conor McGregor lost his appeal against the finding of a civil jury that he sexually assaulted her in a Dublin hotel in 2018.https://t.co/njXca1dL9P

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McGregor has not fought in the UFC since 2021, when he suffered a leg injury during a bout with Dustin Poirier. His return to the octagon, originally planned for UFC 303, was postponed due to a toe injury. Despite ongoing legal battles, the fighter recently re-entered the drug testing pool in anticipation of a comeback, possibly at a future event reportedly being organized by Donald Trump for July 4, 2026.