Civil case finds Conor McGregor assaulted nikita Hand

Nikita Hand of Dublin, Ireland, won a civil case against Conor McGregor after a jury found he assaulted her in 2018.

Hand pursued the case despite facing the challenge of public scrutiny and McGregor’s resources, wanting to challenge the stigma faced by victims who are perceived as imperfect. Following the assault, which occurred after she contacted McGregor on social media and they went to a Dublin hotel, Irish authorities declined to pursue criminal charges.

Hand testified in Dublin High Court in 2024 that McGregor had raped her, and the jury awarded her nearly €250,000 in damages. She described the cross-examination as another violation, and while the verdict brought vindication, it did not eliminate her ongoing anxiety and fear. She detailed how the fallout from the case extended to social media, where she received both supportive and hateful messages.

Hand published a book, Not the Perfect Victim, detailing her experience and her desire to reclaim control of her story. In July 2025, McGregor lost an appeal of the civil case, and two people were later charged with perjury related to evidence in the appeal. Hand now hopes to work with other survivors of sexual assault, and wants her daughters to grow up in a world where consent is taken seriously and victims are not blamed.