Podcast: What next in Nikita Hand's case against McGregor

There is "a lot left" in the legal process between Nikita Hand and Conor McGregor, according to Órla O'Donnell.

RTÉ’s Legal Affairs Correspondent was speaking to Behind the Story after Ms Hand lodged a new civil action against the former MMA fighter as well as a couple he intended to call to give evidence in his appeal.

Mr McGregor withdrew the application in what were described as "mysterious circumstances".

Ms Hand is suing Mr McGregor as well as Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins for damages in an action filed on Thursday.

Read more: Nikita Hand to sue Conor McGregor and couple

It is understood that she alleges malicious abuse of the process of the court.

Mr McGregor lost his appeal against a High Court jury’s finding that he raped Ms Hand in a hotel in Dublin in December 2018.

Órla told Fran and Evelyn Mr McGregor does still potentially have the option of a Supreme Court appeal open to him.

"There’s a lot left in the legal process, and it has a number of different limbs," she said.

"In relation to Conor McGregor, if he wants to take this further legally, he has to go to the Supreme Court but the Supreme Court doesn’t hear every appeal.

"The Supreme Court decides whether or not it will give permission for a further appeal to itself."

Órla explained that the Supreme Court decides whether or not to hear an appeal on two grounds.

"Firstly, if it is in the interests of justice that an appeal is to be heard; and also, if there is a point of law of general public importance involved," she said.

"The Supreme Court makes a determination on whether or not it will allow a further appeal.

"So, it’s not guaranteed, even if Conor McGregor instructs his legal team that he wants to take this further, it’s not guaranteed that the Supreme Court will allow that to happen."

Órla said the new action by Ms Hand is going to take time to work through the courts.

"You have this new action lodged by Nikita Hand - we don’t have very many details about this - simply that they are saying that this was a malicious abuse of the process of the court," she said.

"They’re suing for damages - they’re suing Samantha O’Reilly, Stephen Cummins and Conor McGregor.

"That’s going to wind its way through the court process; it’s going to take a bit of time before it gets to court," she added.

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