A High Court jury has found mixed martial arts (MMA) star Conor McGregor guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a 2018 incident that began with a flirty Instagram exchange and escalated into a harrowing encounter.
The case sheds light on the dark aftermath of fame, substance use, and alleged abuse of power.
The accuser, Nikita Hand, testified that she had been assaulted by McGregor during a night of partying that turned traumatic. The 2018 events unfolded when McGregor, then 30, was at the pinnacle of his career, celebrated globally for his success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and a high-profile boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The court heard that Ms Hand and McGregor had exchanged messages on Instagram in the months leading up to the encounter. On December 16, 2018, Ms Hand, then 29, was attending a Christmas party with colleagues at a salon where she worked in Dublin.
After a long night of drinking and taking cocaine, she messaged McGregor early the next morning, seeking his phone number.
McGregor, who had spent the evening at nightclubs in Dublin, arranged to meet Ms. Hand and her colleague Danielle Kealey. They gathered in McGregor’s car and drove around before heading to a penthouse suite at the Beacon Hotel, which he had booked earlier that night.
Conflicting testimonies
The accounts of what transpired at the hotel diverged starkly in court. McGregor testified that the sexual encounter was consensual, describing it as “enthusiastic” and initiated by Ms. Hand. However, Ms. Hand gave a harrowing account of being pinned down and assaulted, despite her attempts to resist.
"He just wouldn't take no for an answer," Ms. Hand told the court. "I remember he pinned me to the bed. I couldn’t move or breathe." She alleged that McGregor used his strength to overpower her and ignored her protests.
CCTV footage from the hotel showed Ms. Hand visibly intoxicated in the elevator shortly before and after the alleged assault. She described herself as “a vulnerable, drunk woman who did not know what she was doing.”
Following the incident, Ms. Hand confided in her salon manager and later disclosed the details to her boyfriend. A recording of her emotional account to her partner was played in court, where she expressed fear of retaliation if she named her attacker.
McGregor denied all allegations, claiming that the encounter was consensual and that Ms. Hand showed no signs of distress. His defense described the allegations as an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
The case has drawn widespread attention, not only due to McGregor’s celebrity status but also because of its implications for issues of consent, substance use, and power dynamics.
The jury’s decision has reignited conversations about accountability in the world of sports and entertainment, where public figures are often held to a different standard.
McGregor’s representatives have yet to comment on the verdict, while Ms. Hand’s legal team has expressed relief that justice has been served.
