Conor McGregor, an Irish mixed martial arts fighter and Trump’s guest at the White House, has lost his appeal in a rape case. A jury in Ireland found him civilly liable for assault in 2022, ordering him to pay nearly $1.5 million in damages and legal costs to Nikita Hand, who claims he “brutally raped and battered” her in a Dublin hotel in 2018.
McGregor denies the allegations, stating they had consensual sex, and that Hand fabricated any assault. However, three judges on Ireland’s Court of Appeals unanimously rejected his appeal on all grounds, finding that McGregor paid a friend to testify on his behalf and refused to award the friend reimbursement for legal costs.
This ruling marks a significant setback for McGregor, who has emerged as a far-right figure in Irish politics and has hinted at a potential comeback. Hand expressed relief but also trauma after hearing the court’s decision, saying she hopes to “move on and try to heal.” McGregor faces another sexual assault lawsuit in Florida, alleging he attacked a woman in 2023 in the bathroom of an NBA basketball arena.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/31/g-s1-80428/conor-mcgregor-rape-case