Nikita Hand, the woman who won a civil rape case against Conor McGregor, has launched new legal proceedings against the UFC superstar and two others (Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins) alleging malicious abuse of court processes. This comes just days after McGregor lost his appeal against a High Court ruling that found him liable for sexually assaulting Hand in a 2018 Dublin hotel incident.
McGregor’s appeal collapsed after he abruptly withdrew an application to introduce new witness testimony from O’Reilly and Cummins (Hand’s former neighbors) who claimed her injuries could have been caused by her ex-partner, Stephen Redmond. Ireland’s Court of Appeal called the sudden withdrawal “mysterious,” particularly since the evidence was deemed “important and contentious.” The judges awarded Hand additional legal costs, criticizing McGregor’s legal strategy.
Hand’s Emotional Response: “Retraumatised Over and Over”
Outside the court, Hand revealed the toll of the five-year legal battle: “This appeal forced me to relive what happened. It’s had a huge impact on my life,” she said, urging other survivors to “not be silenced.” The £206,000 damages verdict (plus costs) from the 2023 civil trial stands, but Hand’s new lawsuit targets what her legal team calls a coordinated effort to discredit her through false testimony.
McGregor’s Legal Woes Increase Amid UFC Comeback Plans
The MMA fighter’s legal team argued unsuccessfully that the original Dublin High Court jury should have been asked specifically about “sexual assault” rather than general assault. They also contested the handling of McGregor’s Gardaí (Irish police) interviews, where he gave 100 “no comment” responses. With McGregor preparing for a UFC return, the lawsuits threaten his lucrative endorsements and public image.
