Nikita Hand wins £1.25m costs from Conor McGregor as jury finds she has been raped by MMA star
5 December 2024, 18:32
Nikita Hand has won around £1.25m in legal costs from Conor McGregor, as a jury found she had been raped by the fighter six years ago.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Nikita Hand has been awarded costs in her civil action against Conor McGregor, after a jury found she had been raped by the mixed martial arts fighter in a Dublin hotel six years ago.
The costs of the case, which ran for some three weeks, are estimated to be more than one million euro (£829,000).
The MMA fighter will also have to pay Ms Hand almost 250,000 euro (£207,000) in damages.
The High Court also ruled that Mr McGregor's friend James Lawrence, from whom she also sought damages for assault, but lost, cannot claim his legal costs against her.
The ruling means that Ms Hand and Mr Lawrence will pay their own costs in relation to the claim against him.
Nikita Hand said she hoped her case will remind victims of assault to keep "pushing forward for justice".
She said: "I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be: Speak up, you have a voice and keep on fighting for justice.
"I know this has impacted not only my life, my daughter's, my family and friends tremendously.
"It's something that I'll never forget for the rest of my life.
"Now that justice has been served, I can now try and move on and look forward to the future with my family and friends and daughter."
Asked if she felt vindicated following the jury's decision, she said: "Yes, I do. Thank you."
But Mr McGregor will have to pay the full costs relating to his side of the case, which will include Ms Hand's costs relating to the claim against him.
The ruling means that Ms Hand will only pay the legal costs of her side of the case against Mr Lawrence.
Justice Alexander Owens said that he made the decision after the defence put forward by Mr McGregor relied on what Mr Lawrence claimed had happened on the day and night of the incident.
He said it was a "most singular and peculiar" case, and told the court that the story put forward by both defendants ran in "lock step" with each other.
Justice Owens also raised a number of social media posts made by Mr McGregor after the jury's verdict, in which he called the court a 'kangaroo court'.
He said that any social media posts that attack the integrity of the jury cannot be tolerated and that Mr McGregor's posts were "highly irresponsible".
He added that it was "most unsatisfactory" that a litigant would attack the jury and accused them of disregarding the court rules.
Read more: Conor McGregor raped woman in hotel, civil jury finds, as she is awarded damages
He said he has not yet decided whether to institute contempt of court proceedings against McGregor, but that the sportsman could face a fine if he does.
The jury found that Mr Lawrence had not assaulted Ms Hand because they did not believe he had consensual sex with Ms Hand after Mr McGregor left the hotel.
Justice Owens said he did not agree that the damages awarded by the jury cast any light on the jury's decision, and said the jury were told not to double count and to be moderate.
He further said that the jury's decision not to award aggravated and exemplary damages to Ms Hand did not cast any doubt on their findings.
