Photo: Reuters file
Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor was found guilty of assaulting a woman at a party in Dublin in 2018 and ordered to pay her nearly 250,000 euros ($259,950) in damages, according to a jury's decision on Friday. The jury, composed of eight women and four men, reached its verdict in the civil trial at Ireland's high court following six hours and 10 minutes of deliberation. The plaintiff, Nikita Hand, claimed that McGregor sexually assaulted her on December 9, 2018, and that another man, James Lawrence, also assaulted her, as the court heard over two weeks of evidence. The jury concluded that Lawrence did not assault Hand. McGregor left the court amidst a throng of reporters without making any comments and later announced on X his intention to appeal the decision. McGregor, 36, refuted the allegation, asserting that he had consensual sex with Hand and denied causing any bruising to the plaintiff. Hand's attorney informed the jury that the day after the alleged assault, when she was taken to a sexual assault treatment unit, a doctor was so concerned about her injuries that he ordered photographs to be taken. Hand recounted that she and a friend contacted McGregor, whom she knew, after a work Christmas party. She said they were driven by McGregor to a party in a penthouse room of a south Dublin hotel where drugs and alcohol were consumed. She alleged that McGregor took her to a bedroom in the penthouse and sexually assaulted her. Speaking outside the court, Hand expressed her gratitude for the support she had received and felt vindicated. "To all the victims of sexual assault, I hope my story serves as a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be, speak up, you have a voice and keep on fighting for justice," she said.
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