Conor McGregor attending the Dublin premiere of a documentary about his MMA career, November 2017 – the UFC star is now fighting to overturn a civil rape verdict.
Credit : Shutterstock, G Holland
Conor McGregor’s legal team has launched an attempt to submit fresh evidence as part of the fighter’s ongoing battle to reverse a civil court’s verdict that found him liable for raping a woman in a Dublin hotel.
The mixed martial arts star is set to file a motion at the Court of Appeal in Dublin on 2 May, seeking to introduce new testimony from two individuals said to support his case.
At a preliminary hearing, judges were told that the additional evidence, yet to be disclosed publicly, could be pivotal to McGregor’s defence. However, the court made clear that this material will have to clear a stringent three-part test before it can be formally admitted. The court will assess whether the information existed during the initial trial but could not have been obtained with reasonable diligence, whether it could have materially altered the outcome, and whether it is credible enough to be presumed truthful.
Conor McGregor rape case: damages awarded and shocking trial revelations
McGregor, who has denied the allegations and insists the encounter was consensual, was found civilly liable in November 2024 for assaulting Nikita Hand, a 35-year-old woman, in December 2018 at Dublin’s Beacon Hotel. Following a three-week trial that included harrowing testimony, Ms Hand was awarded €248,603 in damages, along with a significant sum towards legal costs.
The court heard that Ms Hand, who broke down multiple times while giving evidence, has been unable to work since the incident. A paramedic who assessed her the day after the alleged assault told jurors it had been years since she had witnessed injuries of such severity. Ms Hand also described how the trauma forced her to quit her job as a hairdresser, end her relationship, and leave her home, with her mortgage subsequently falling into arrears.
Outside the courtroom, after securing her legal victory, Ms Hand urged survivors of sexual assault to continue seeking justice, saying she hoped her experience would inspire others to “speak up” despite fear.
Conor McGregor appeal: Legal fight heats up before may hearing
Representing Ms Hand, barrister Ray Boland SC confirmed that the plaintiff’s legal team will oppose the application to admit the fresh evidence. Boland has argued that any such late-stage evidence must be subject to strict scrutiny and meet “special grounds” before being permitted. He also indicated that the appeal itself should take around two days once it proceeds.
In contrast, Remy Farrell SC, acting for McGregor, rejected suggestions of a fragmented approach to the appeal. Farrell described the opposition’s stance as pushing for a modular process, warning it could inflate costs and unnecessarily prolong proceedings.
The court has ordered McGregor’s team to serve affidavits outlining the new evidence by 4 April, with a formal response from the plaintiff’s side expected by 25 April. The decisive hearing on 2 May will determine whether this new material can be brought into the appeals process.
In the meantime, it was revealed that McGregor has already paid a portion of Ms Hand’s awarded damages and some of the legal fees, as ordered by the court earlier this year.
The highly scrutinised case is set to return to headlines as both legal teams prepare for what could be a pivotal appeal hearing next month.
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