Conor McGregor ordered to pay legal fees of assault victim following court ruling
Former UFC champ Conor McGregor ordered to pay sex*al assault victim Nikita Hand's legal fees after civil suit found him guilty.
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UFC's Conor McGregor to pay assault victim Nikita Hand's legal fees after civil suit (Source: X)
On top of the damages following a verdict in an assault case, Conor McGregor will now pay the legal costs of his victim as well. Things took a turn from bad to horrible after the recent guilty verdict. A Dublin High Court recently found UFC star McGregor guilty of assault on Nikita Hand in 2018. After this civil suit, his world unraveled.
The Dublin jury’s decision included damages of just upward of €248,000 in damages (£206,000 /$260,000 all-in). A co-defendant of McGregor’s, James Lawrence, was acquitted of the same charges. A judge ruled Thursday that Conor McGregor must pay Nikita Hand’s legal fees for pursuing her claim. However, she will have to pay her own fees for the part of the case relating to Lawrence, per RTE (›rte.ie/news) in Ireland.
Lawrence, however, will not be able to recover the legal costs of his defense even though he was not found liable. Judge Owens said the jury’s failure to award exemplary and aggravated damages did not undermine its earlier finding.
McGregor and Lawrence made a concerted effort to have rather Lawrence take the fall, according to Hand’s lawyer. But evidence from Nikita Hand’s testimonies, and those of her doctors, proved enough.
According to RTE, McGregor could also face the Irish legal system for online posts made after the decision. He said he had plans for an appeal and criticized the jury and the “kangaroo court.” Still bleeding money already, this could factor in his future penalties at some point.
What’s next for the ‘Notorious’ one?
According to court documents, Nikita Hand sought damages – general, special, exemplary, and punishment – for her psychological toil. It was between $1.79 million and $2.13 million, according to The New York Times in 2021. Conor McGregor has been subject to jail time, DUIs, bar brawls, and even assault cases as such before. But this time, the gravity and the civil suit were just too much.
McGregor and his legal team were in for the sentencing. As was McGregor’s wife Dee Devlin, who shares four children with him; the first of which was born in late 2017. The Irishman admitted under oath during the trial that he had sex with Hand in late 2018. However, he maintains it was consensual. Despite his waning effect and fast-dropping fame, Devlin is the only one still on his side.
The former UFC two-division champ has not fought since a July 2021 TKO leg break to Dustin Poirier. It’s been more than 8 years since he recently held UFC gold or mattered on the Pound-for-pound listings. However, amid the controversy, the UFC has yet to make a statement.
McGregor’s biggest business gigs – Proper 12 for one, have dropped him as brand media face. The biggest retail chains have dropped all “Conor McGregor” products in light of the civil suit. McGregor is still able to be a proper pay-per-view spot buy and quite a draw but only so much.
Given that even his biggest paying allies have dropped him, there’s dread about his “Connie Comeback” chances. Where he goes from here is anyone’s guess. But the UFC brass might just diminish association, on the last legs of his contract.
Related: Conor McGregor Net Worth 2024: How rich is the Irish UFC megastar?
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