Former UFC champion Conor McGregor faces fresh legal troubles after losing his appeal against a civil court ruling that found him liable for SA. Just one day after the Court of Appeal dismissed his challenge in its entirety, Nikita Hand has launched new proceedings against the MMA star, alleging abuse of the court process.
The three-judge panel, comprising Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, Mr Justice Brian O’Moore, and Mr Justice Patrick MacGrath, rejected all five grounds of McGregor’s appeal on Thursday. The original civil trial concluded in November with Hand being awarded £214,994 in damages, while McGregor was ordered to pay approximately £1.1 million in legal costs.
Hand had successfully sued McGregor over an incident she claimed occurred at a south Dublin hotel penthouse in December 2018, where she alleged he “brutally r**ed and battered” her. Neither McGregor nor his co-defendant James Lawrence attended Thursday’s hearing.
According to court documents, Hand’s new lawsuit targets not only McGregor but also Samantha O’Reilly and Stephen Cummins, who were withdrawn as witnesses at the final moment of the appeal proceedings.
Her legal team confirmed the action in a statement: “We confirm that further proceedings have been issued in the High Court and a Statement of claims has been prepared and will be served imminently.”
The fresh case seeks “damages for malicious abuse of the process of the court by the Defendants, and each of them, their respective servants and/or agents,” with Hand pursuing both aggravated and punitive damages plus costs.
During the appeal dismissal, the judges also addressed co-defendant James Lawrence’s separate appeal regarding legal costs. The court noted that McGregor had paid Lawrence’s legal fees, describing this arrangement as “shrouded in mystery.” Mr Justice O’Moore explained that awarding costs to Lawrence could result in either a “bounty of several hundred thousand euros for his troubles” if he kept the money, or effectively benefit McGregor if the funds were passed back to him.
Following the judgment, Hand expressed gratitude to her supporters and legal team outside the Four Courts. “I’m also deeply grateful for everyone who supported me and those who believed in me and stood by my side throughout this case,” she said, while acknowledging the emotional toll of the appeal process.
“This appeal has retraumatised me over and over again (by) being forced to relive it, what happened has had a huge impact on me,” Hand continued. “To every survivor out there, I know how hard it is but please don’t be silenced. You deserve to be heard, you also deserve justice. Today I can finally move on and try to heal.”
When asked if she had a message for McGregor, Hand declined to comment as she left the courthouse.
The legal setbacks come as McGregor has been vocal about his interest in returning to competition, particularly expressing enthusiasm for a potential UFC event at the White House announced by President Trump for July 2026. The 37-year-old has been absent from the octagon since 2021, with a planned comeback against Michael Chandler falling through due to a training injury.
