Conor McGregor (Image: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)
Conor McGregor has taken to social media to react to the latest developments in a civil damages case, as the claimant seeks to prevent the release of CCTV footage from the trial. The MMA fighter did not comment directly but reshared several posts on his story.
One repost included Italian entrepreneur Gabriel Ernesto Rapisarda questioning why there’s resistance to publicising a video from an elevator incident hours after the claimant’s encounter with McGregor. “Why don’t they want to make public the video between Nikita and James in the elevator, many hours after the meeting between Nikita and Conor?” asked Mr Rapisarda.
He also highlighted: “Since my name has been used in the last few days, let’s clarify one thing, the video is a fundamental element of this shameful story, a video that clearly shows Nikita’s party continued long after the meeting with Conor.”
McGregor further shared screenshots of an RTE news report about Nikita Hand, who was awarded nearly €250,000 in November after alleging McGregor raped and choked her in a Dublin hotel in 2018—claims denied by McGregor. It was ruled that James Lawrence, McGregor’s associate, had not assaulted Ms Hand at the Beacon hotel.
On Monday, Mr Justice Alexander Owens allowed Ms Hand’s legal team to serve an abridged notice of an injunction application on Mr McGregor and Mr Lawrence. The application is set to be moved this Thursday.
Nikita Hand, who is also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, speaking to the media outside the High Court in Dublin after the personal injury case against Conor McGregor. Nikita Hand alleges she was raped by McGregor in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. After deliberating for six hours and 10 minutes, the jury returned with their verdicts in the civil trial against Conor McGregor. The total amount of damages awarded to Nikita Hand by the jury was 248,603.60 euro. Picture date: Friday November 22, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story IRISH McGregor. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire (Image: PA)
Barrister Siuun Leonowicz, representing Ms Hand, stated that her client is seeking an injunction to prevent the dissemination or publication of CCTV footage shown during the trial. David Coleman, Ms Hand’s solicitor, revealed in a court affidavit that the Sunday Independant and the Sunday World reported earlier this month that Mr Rapisarda plans an “imminent” publication of the CCTV footage used at the trial.
Mr Coleman suggested that Mr Rapisarda believes the publication of the CCTV would boost sales of Mr McGregor’s alcohol. He expressed his belief that any attempt to publish the CCTV “is a contempt of court”, with its “only purpose” being to “undermine and discredit the verdict of the court and, in so doing, gain financially”.
Given Mr McGregor’s alleged intentions, Mr Coleman is keen to ensure the injunction motion is moved on Thursday for the court to consider Mr McGregor’s alleged “ongoing contempt”. Mr Coleman also mentioned that the judge was already scheduled to address Mr McGregor’s description of the court as a “kangaroo court” on social media this Thursday.
A mother and hair colourist, Ms Hand, recounted to the jury last November that Mr McGregor had raped her at the Beacon hotel after she explicitly expressed her disinterest in having sex. She stated that she had mentioned feeling uncomfortable and highlighted their mutual acquaintances.
Additionally, she noted that she was menstruating and had a tampon inserted, which made her unwilling to engage in sexual activity. According to her testimony, Mr McGregor disregarded her refusal, and she ceased resisting after he applied a chokehold three times, causing her breathing difficulties.
Mr McGregor denied the rape allegations, instead claiming they had engaged in “vigorous”, “athletic”, and “fully consensual” sex. Ms Hand also initiated a lawsuit against Mr Lawrence, a resident of Rafter’s Road, Drimnagh, following his statement to gardaí in February 2019, in which he alleged having consensual sex with her on two occasions after Mr McGregor’s departure from the hotel.
In her testimony, Ms Hand disputed this account, stating she had no recollection of having sex with Mr Lawrence and dismissed his narrative as fabricated. The court has ordered Mr McGregor to cover the majority of the case’s legal expenses.