Irishman Conor McGregor, world MMA star, was sentenced on Friday November 22 by a Dublin civil court to pay nearly 250,000 euros in damages to Nikita Hand, accusing him of having “brutally raped and beaten” her in a hotel room in Dublin in 2018. He had affirmed for his part that the sexual relationship was consensual.
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After a ten-day trial, the Dublin High Court ordered Conor McGregor to pay 248,603.60 euros to Nikita Hand, the plaintiff. A sum which notably includes medical expenses.
Nikita Hand, 35, accused the martial arts star of pinning her on a bed and strangling her three times before raping her. During the trial, it was stated that she suffered, among other things, severe bruising to her wrists and pain in her neck.
She also accused another man, James Lawrence, of having sexually assaulted her in the same hotel, but she did not win her case on this subject. Nikita Hand burst into tears when the verdict was announced, emphasizing to the media that this trial had been for her “ a nightmare “.
Aged 36, Conor McGregor, nicknamed The Notoriousis one of the world stars of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the most famous and profitable league in MMA. He was present in court with his family and his fiancée Dee Devlin. During the trial, his lawyers accused Nikita Hand of trying to “ extort » money.
The former featherweight and lightweight champion has not fought in the octagon since July 2021 due to a leg injury. Its resumption, planned for last June, was postponed.
In 2020, the Irishman was the highest paid athlete in the world according to Forbes magazine, with 170 million euros in earnings.
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