Mixed Martial Arts fighter Conor McGregor is due to appear before the High Court for a personal injury case against him https://t.co/D8XpT8kq8X
— Irish Daily Mirror (@IrishMirror) November 5, 2024
The alleged victim and the emergency room doctor who treated her testified against Conor McGregor during the beginning of a civil lawsuit related to an alleged sexual assault committed by the former UFC champion in 2018.
McGregor and the alleged victim, Nikita Ni Lamhain (Hand), were both present in Dublin High Court on Tuesday. The civil lawsuit was filed in 2021 by Hand, who alleges that McGregor and James Lawrence raped her in a hotel room in December 2018. Both McGregor and Lawrence, who are not facing criminal charges, have denied the accusations. The beginning of the trial was covered by multiple outlets, including The Irish Times and the Irish Mirror.
According to testimony from Hand, she was an acquaintance of McGregor through the fighter’s family. Hand said that prior to meeting with McGregor, she attended a Christmas party for work, where she drank alcohol and used cocaine. She later had contact with McGregor through Instagram, who came with a security guard to pick up the alleged victim and her friend. McGregor stopped to pick up Lawrence and came back with what Hand thought was cocaine, which he gave to the victim. Hand stated that she didn’t recall McGregor or Lawrence using any of the cocaine.
Hand and her friend thought they were going to another party but were instead taken to the Beacon Hotel, where McGregor had a penthouse suite with adjoining rooms. During that time, Hand claimed that security closed the door between the two rooms and left her alone with McGregor. She says the UFC star forced himself on her despite her trying to refuse his advances.
“I said no I don’t feel comfortable, I know of Dee, I know her family. I was trying to try talk him around that I didn’t want anything. I didn’t want to have sex and I wasn’t there for anything like that. He just wasn’t taking no for an answer. He then pinned me onto the bed,” Hand said during testimony.
“Kept telling me to relax babe. He pinned me down on the bed. I remember putting my arms up against my chest. He just kept pushing his weight down on top of me. I remember putting my arms like this, to keep him as far away from me as possible.”
Hand recalls McGregor at one point saying during the alleged assault, “That’s how I felt in the Octagon, I had to tap myself out three times, that’s how I felt.”
McGregor then allegedly left the hotel with Hand’s friend, leaving the victim in the hotel room with Lawrence. According to Hand’s counsel, she was in “delayed shock” and remained in the room with Lawrence for several hours. Though she didn’t have much recollection of events, she later learned that Lawrence had sex with her twice before she went home.
When Hand arrived at home, she was an “absolute wreck” and she was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Emergency room gynecologist Daniel Kane, who treated Hand after the alleged sexual assault, testified that his examination was “consistent with the outline of events as described by [Hand].” As he treated Hand, Kane noted “multiple body injuries” including a “multiplicity of bruises.” He also had to use forceps to remove a tampon that was “wedged at the very, very top.”
According to a statement of claim reported by the New York Times in 2021, Hand is seeking damages of $1.79-$2.13 million for lost wages, a change of homes and medical expenses.
Judge Alexander Owens informed the jury that the trial is expected to last two weeks. It will resume on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. local time.
