
Conor McGregor loses appeal against jury finding in Nikita Hand case
The judgement was delivered on Thursday in the Court of Appeal, by Justices Isobel Kennedy, Brian O'Moore, and Michael MacGrath.
Mr McGregor had taken the appeal against the jury finding from the case last November, in which Ms Hand alleged he had raped her. The jury awarded Ms Hand €250,000 in damages.
Mr McGregor, who denied the allegations, was also ordered to pay Ms Hand's costs in the case. The Court of Appeal has previously heard the legal costs involved in the civil assault trial totalled €1.3m.
Ms Hand was present for Thursday's hearing before the court. Mr McGregor was not in court.
Earlier this month, the MMA fighter dramatically withdrew one of his main grounds of appeal in the case, which was fresh evidence he wanted to introduce.
The fresh evidence in question had related to testimony to be given by the former Northern Irish state pathologist Professor Jack Crane.
This was regarding sworn affidavits from Ms Hand's neighbours at the time of the alleged assault - Samantha O'Reilly and Stephen Cummins - claiming they had heard an altercation within Ms Hand's apartment at the time of the issues in dispute in December 2018.
On the back of this, John Gordon SC, for Ms Hand, said that Mr McGregor should face a charge of inducing others to commit perjury on his behalf and the judges indicated they would refer this withdrawal of evidence to the DPP.
The judges determined that Ms Hand was entitled to extra costs from Mr McGregor in this regard, given she had to form a defence for this 'fresh evidence' which was then withdrawn at the last minute.
Mr Justice O'Moore noted the court's 'displeasure and disapproval' over this affair in the judgement.
More to follow...

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