Conor McGregor ordered to pay legal costs to accuser Nikita Hand

Conor McGregor has been ordered to pay the legal costs of his accuser Nikita Hand after a jury sided with her on November 22 in her civil rape case against the Irish UFC fighter.

McGregor was ordered by Justice Alexander Owens in Dublin's High Court today, December 5, to pay Hand's legal costs, estimated at up to €1.5 million, according to the Irish Times.

However, Hand was not awarded the highest level of costs against McGregor, which is what she and her legal team were requesting. The costs were made on a party-party basis, and not on the higher solicitor and client costs basis, according to the PA.

The legal costs come in addition to the €248,603.60 in damages that a jury awarded Hand at the conclusion of her civil case against McGregor in which she alleged the Irish sports star raped her in a Dublin hotel in 2018.

In the same case, Hand also accused McGregor's friend James Lawrence of assault, though the jury ultimately found him not liable.

Hand will not have to pay Lawrence's legal costs, Justice Owens said on Thursday, though he will not have to pay hers either. McGregor was paying Lawrence's legal costs throughout the case.

No further action will be taken until the matter comes back to court on January 16, RTÉ News reported on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday during the hearing at the High Court, Hand's solicitor John Gordon sought that his client get her "entire" costs against McGregor, but that Justice Owens should make no order against Lawrence.

Gordon argued that Justice Owens should consider the conduct of McGregor and Lawrence before, during, and after the case when considering the solicitor-client level of costs.

Gordon said that at the trial, McGregor had used “vitriol as a weapon” against Hand.

Gordon also raised the matter of McGregor's since-deleted social media posts that were issued after the jury handed down its decision on November 22 in which he accused the court of behaving like a “kangaroo” court. Gordon said that this was a “direct insult” to the jury and their decision.

Meanwhile, McGregor's solicitor Remy Farrell said in court on Thursday that the costs against his client should be at "normal" costs level.

He submitted to the court that post-trial social media posts should not be taken into consideration as aggravating behaviour as many litigants express “unhappiness” with court verdicts.

Lawrence's solicitor John FitzGerald submitted that his client should be awarded his costs against Hand because the action she brought against him failed.

McGregor and Lawrence maintain their innocence, and McGregor has vowed to appeal the jury's decision that was issued in November.

The civil case against McGregor began at Dublin's High Court on November 5. 

In the case, Hand alleged that McGregor and Lawrence both had sex with her twice, without her consent, on December 9, 2018.

McGregor and Lawrence denied the allegations against them, labeling Hand a "gold digger" and a "fraud."

The court heard that on December 9, 2018 - the day after her work party where she had been drinking and taking cocaine - Hand contacted McGregor to "keep the party going."

McGregor, Hand, and another woman were driven to the Beacon Hotel in Dublin. During the drive, McGregor stopped at Lawrence's house, where he picked up more cocaine which he shared with the women. Lawrence joined them to the Beacon.

The court heard that Hand was on her period at the time of the incident and wearing a tampon. Hand said she does not have sex while on her period.

Hand's solicitor John Gordon SC told the court that McGregor went into a bedroom and wanted her to perform oral sex, but Hand refused. She said he then "pinned her onto the bed."

"She was clearly no physical match for Mr. McGregor," Gordon told the court.

"She will tell you that she was nervous. She tried to push him off her, but she was completely unable to do so."

Gordon said that in the course of the tussle, the watch on her wrist scratched her breast as he pressed down on her. McGregor then turned her over, and put her in an arm lock, before drawing her up by the neck until she could not breathe, Gordon said.

Hand said McGregor told her: "Now you know what it was like in the Octagon. I had to tap myself out three times."

Gordon said his client was "completely terrified." He described it as a "violent, vicious assault" and said a doctor who examined her after the incident found her tampon "embedded in her vagina."

Hand did not recall anything sexual happening between her and Lawrence until she was advised the following February that Lawrence said they had sex twice.

On the opening day of the civil case, Justice Alexander Owens told the jury: "Essentially the allegation in the statement of claim is that Mr. McGregor sexually assaulted Ms. Ni Laimhin [Hand] and in effect raped her on the night of December 2018, and that Mr. Lawrence did likewise.

"It is not a criminal case, it is a civil action for assault…if proven… the person is entitled to compensation, which is called damages."

On November 22 after the jury handed down its decision, a tearful Hand told the press after the verdict that she was "overwhelmed" with the support she has received.

She made special mention of her young daughter Freya, saying: "She has given me so much strength and courage over the last six years throughout this nightmare to keep on pushing on forward for justice.

"I want to show Freya and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is and justice will be served.

"To all the victims of sexual assault, I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be, speak up, you have a voice, and keep on fighting for justice."

BREAKING: Nikita Hand speaks outside court. pic.twitter.com/H1K4eit8Ug

— Paul Healy (@Healyhack) November 22, 2024