Who is Nikita Hand? All about woman who brought civil rape verdict lawsuit against Conor McGregor

Nikita Hand has won a civil rape case against the famous fighter Conor McGregor. Nikita is a 35-year-old hairdresser and mother from Dublin, Ireland. She worked in a local salon and previously served many clients. The Guardian reports that she gained wider public attention in 2024 when she sued UFC star Conor McGregor in a civil court case. She accused him of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.

The reports by Reuters state that Nikita Hand sued him in civil court in Dublin. In November 2024, a jury ruled in her favor and awarded almost €250,000 in damages. McGregor denied the claims, saying the encounter was consensual. He also said the injuries were not caused by him. This lawsuit made news around the world. Reports by The Irish Times mentioned that McGregor was absent during the court ruling.

As per the reports by Low Kick MMA, shortly after the appeal, Nikita Hand filed a new civil lawsuit. She is suing McGregor and two other people who were to give evidence in his appeal. Hand says the new evidence was false and was meant to hurt her credibility. McGregor’s team withdrew that evidence at the last minute. Hand’s lawyers now argue that this harmed her further.

The civil case filed by Nikita Hand and the verdict

The reports by Reuters mention that Nikita Hand claims to have been raped by Conor McGregor in a hotel penthouse in Dublin on December 9, 2018. She said she was driven to a party at the hotel after a work event. The party involved alcohol and drugs. She told the High Court that she was physically harmed and had internal injuries. Medical staff examined her the next day and took photographs of the bruising on her body.

As per the reports by The Irish Times, in November 2024, a High Court jury accepted her account. They ruled that McGregor raped her and ordered him to pay nearly €250,000 in compensation. They also said he must pay her legal costs, estimated at €1.3 million.

Nikita Hand spoke to the media after the appeal ruling. She said the legal process retraumatized her, but thanked supporters and urged other survivors to speak out. She said she could finally try to heal.

The failed appeal and the new lawsuit

Reports by Reuters further mention that Conor McGregor appealed the verdict. He said the judge made errors in how the jury was instructed. He also challenged the fact that his “no comment” police interview was taken into consideration. These were the answers he gave after a prepared statement. He sought to add new testimony from neighbors and an expert but later dropped these requests.

A panel of three judges in the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal entirely on July 31, 2025. The court said the jury knew they were deciding if McGregor had raped Nikita Hand. They found no unfairness or error in the trial. The withdrawal of evidence was also examined, and concerns about possible perjury were raised.

As per the reports by The Journal, soon after, Nikita Hand filed a fresh civil action. This new lawsuit names McGregor and two individuals who were to be witnesses. Hand says their statements were lies. She claims that by introducing and then withdrawing them. Her image was attacked. She seeks damages for that harm.

Her lawyer said that McGregor’s withdrawal of the evidence prevented her from challenging false claims in court. They filed this new suit in early August 2025, after the appeal ended.

Now, she has filed a new case in court. This time, she is suing McGregor and the two people who were going to speak as witnesses. She says their actions caused more pain and made the process even harder. Her lawyers have not said how much money she is asking for, but they say this case is about more than just money. The court will now decide if this new case will move forward. Nikita Hand says she feels stronger now than she did at the start of all this.

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