Conor McGregor hit with new lawsuit by woman who won rape case

Nikita Hand, the woman who successfully sued MMA star Conor McGregor for sexual assault in a civil case, has launched new legal action against McGregor and two other individuals, alleging they engaged in “malicious abuse of court processes.”

The latest lawsuit follows McGregor’s failed attempt to overturn the original civil court ruling, which had ordered him to pay 206,000 pounds (USD 273,609) in damages to Hand after she accused him of raping her in a Dublin hotel in 2018.

The new claim targets McGregor, as well as Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins, a couple who were set to be witnesses for the defense during McGregor’s appeal. That testimony was later withdrawn, but Hand now alleges their involvement was part of a coordinated attempt to misuse the legal system.

The Court of Appeal heard that O’Reilly and Cummins, former neighbors of Hand, had previously alleged they saw her in an altercation with a former partner, Stephen Redmond, in late 2018. McGregor’s legal team suggested their proposed testimony could explain bruises on Hand’s body, implying they were not the result of an assault by McGregor.

Hand, in an affidavit, dismissed the claims as false, describing them as “untrue and lies.”

The appeal judges expressed concern over McGregor’s decision to drop this line of evidence suddenly. They called the abandoned testimony an “important and contentious” part of the appeal and labeled its removal “somewhat mysterious.” As a result, they awarded Hand legal costs related to that aspect of the case.

McGregor’s appeal was also based on objections to how the original civil trial was conducted, including the wording of questions put to the jury and the treatment of his “no comment” responses during police interviews.

The three-judge panel ultimately rejected his appeal in full on Thursday.

Outside the courthouse, Hand gave an emotional statement, saying the drawn-out legal battle had taken a significant toll on her.

“This appeal has retraumatised me over and over again, being forced to relive it,” she said. “What happened has had a huge impact on me.”

She added, “To every survivor out there, I know how hard it is, but please, don’t be silenced. You deserve to be heard, you also deserve justice. Today, I can finally move on and try to heal.”

Her legal team has now filed a new lawsuit against McGregor, O’Reilly, and Cummins for damages, marking the next chapter in the case.