Closing arguments to begin in civil case against Conor McGregor

CLOSING ARGUMENTS ARE set to begin today in the civil case taken by a woman who alleges that she was sexually assaulted by Mixed Martial Arts fighter Conor McGregor. 

Nikita Hand (Ní Laimhín) alleges that McGregor “sexually assaulted her, and in effect, raped her” in a hotel penthouse in Dublin on 9 December 2018, and that a second defendant, James Lawrence, of Rafter’s Road, Drimnagh, “did likewise”, Mr Justice Alexander Owens told the jury on the first day of the civil trial.

The allegations in the action, which was brought against McGregor in 2021, are fully denied.

The evidence in the case concluded last week, with both sides set to begin their closing arguments in court today. 

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Over the course of the two-week civil trial, before Mr Justice Owens and a jury of eight women and four men, the court heard from Nikita Hand, Conor McGregor and James Lawrence.  

In her evidence, Hand said that McGregor raped her in the penthouse of the Beacon Hotel on 9 December 2018. 

The court heard evidence from a gynecologist that Hand attended the Rotunda Hospital Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) on the morning of 10 December 2018, where he used a forceps to remove a tampon that was “wedged” at the top of Hand’s vagina. 

The court heard that Hand made a statement to Gardaí about the alleged assault in January 2019, and that she did not make an allegation against Lawrence until after he presented to Gardaí and told them that he had had consensual sex with Hand twice in the Beacon Hotel after McGregor had left with Hand’s friend.

In his evidence, McGregor told the court that he and Hand had fully consensual sex on 9 December 2018. He told the court that she was not wearing a tampon when they were together and denied causing her bruising, telling the court that she was “full of lies”. 

Lawrence told the court that he and Hand had sex twice in the penthouse bedroom. During his cross-examination, he rejected assertions that he was the “fall guy” for McGregor, saying “what man would put themselves up for the rape of a woman?”.

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When evidence from both sides of the case concluded last week, Mr Justice Owens briefly explained to the jury that they would be given an issue paper, which outlines what a jury must consider in reaching its decision. 

Mr Justice Owens said the jury would be answering questions in their role as decision makers.

He said that after closing arguments are made, counsel will address the jury in relation to the facts and that they must “evaluate the facts and come to conclusions”.

He also told them they were not entitled “to consult the law yourselves” because he was there to do that.

“Over the weekend, you’re not going to google what an assault is or what damages are because I’m going to explain that to you,” he said, adding that they were not to have their “own personal lawyers sitting in your laps”.

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