Conor McGregor loses appeal in civil rape case

Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.

Conor McGregor has lost his appeal over a civil case in which he was sued over allegations that he 'brutally raped and battered' a woman in a Dublin hotel in 2018.

McGregor had attempted to appeal the verdict on five grounds, but a panel of three judges dismissed his appeal on all grounds.

35-year-old Nikita Hand had successfully sued McGregor in civil court after she accused him of raping her, with the Irish MMA fighter claiming the sex had been consensual but a jury finding him civilly liable for assault.

Hand was awarded €248,603 (£207,000) in damages on November 22 last year, she was in court today (31 July) to hear that McGregor had lost his appeal while the 37-year-old man was not present.

As part of McGregor's appeal he attempted to argue that answers he gave in a police interview should not have been put before the jury, with the BBC reporting that he also argued the question put to the jury 'did Conor McGregor assault Nikita Hand?' should have specified sexual assault.

A jury found Conor McGregor civilly liable after he was accused of raping a woman in 2018 (Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The three-judge panel found McGregor's legal representatives attempts to claim he faced 'a real risk of unfair trial' had not been proven.

When a jury found last year that he had assaulted Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in 2018, McGregor had promised to appeal the verdict.

Hand had told the court how McGregor pinned her to a bed and then assaulted her, and she had been left with severe bruises over her body.

The court heard from a paramedic that they had not seen 'someone so bruised' for a long time.

McGregor had denied assaulting Hand, but the jury found him liable.

Hand said last year that the verdict was 'a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be to speak up, you have a voice'.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.