Conor McGregor ordered to pay additional $1.58M in sexual assault case, may face further penalties

Conor McGregor has been ordered to pay Nikita Hand’s legal costs, estimated at around $1.58 million, following a High Court jury ruling in her favor regarding her civil claim that she was raped by the former UFC double champion in a Dublin Hotel in 2018.

On Thursday, Justice Owens also ruled the co-accused, James Lawrence, was not entitled to his legal costs against Hand despite the jury finding he had not assaulted her after McGregor had left the Beacon Hotel.

Owens said he was making no order in costs in relation to Hand’s claims against Lawrence, which means both Hand and Lawrence will pay their own costs pertaining to that specific claim.

McGregor and Lawrence in 'lockstep'

During Thursday’s proceedings, Owens claimed that this was “a most singular and peculiar” case and the defense of McGregor relied on what Lawrence said.

The judge said it was perfectly obvious from the jury’s findings that it rejected McGregor's and Lawrence’s evidence. He said that both men were “in lockstep” in their defense and therefore it would be inappropriate to award costs to Lawrence.

During the trial, the jury heard McGregor was paying for Lawrence’s legal fees and that the pair were represented by the same law firm.

Although Lawrence was successful in defending his claim, the judge said it was not for the reasons he put forward in his defense.

Owens said the jury believed Lawrence did not have consensual sex with Hand and that he and McGregor had concocted the story.

He rejected an application by Hand’s lawyers to have costs awarded on a solicitor and client basis — the maximum possible level — and instead awarded on a party-to-party basis.

Owens claimed he initially had reservations as to whether Lawrence should have been sued, but they were diminished when he and McGregor provided a joint defense.

McGregor 'highly irresponsible'

Owens remains undecided on whether he will take action against McGregor for his “highly irresponsible” social media posts in the aftermath of the jury’s finding.

Via social media, McGregor had claimed that a “kangaroo” court was in operation. Owens said he would later make a decision if he will find McGregor in contempt, saying he was “a very rich man” who could afford a fine for “scandalizing the court.”

Earlier that day, Hand’s counsel, John Gordon, outlined his belief that McGregor and Lawrence disparaged the court via social media in the aftermath of the trial.

“Mr. McGregor said he didn’t believe Nikita and described it as a kangaroo court and that is a direct insult to the jury, and I believe the court should not let this go,” Gordon said.

Gordon urged the judge to award the costs of the entire litigation on a solicitor-client basis against McGregor due to his conduct during and after the case.

He said McGregor had diverted “very significantly” during cross examination from his original version of events.

Hand’s lawyer also claimed that McGregor was “vocally abusive of Ms. Hand in open court, causing the entire court to stop in its tracks” and “used vitriol as a weapon to intimidate her,” insisting the court should not tolerate that.

Two weeks ago, McGregor was found liable for sexual assaulting Hand in a Dublin hotel in 2018. He has been ordered to pay Hand a total of $261,246.63 in damages as a result of the verdict.

Cliona Saidlear, the executive director of Rape Crisis Center Ireland, called for a boycott of McGregor's alcohol brands following the outcome.

Since the jury found in Hand’s favor, multiple retail giants in the United Kingdom and Ireland announced they were dropping any products related to the Irish fighter. In addition, Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey announced that it no longer intends to use McGregor's name or likeness in its marketing.

A solidarity march for Hand took place Nov. 26 in Dublin's city center.

McGregor, 36, has not competed in the UFC since a July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier, during which he suffered a broken leg.

The UFC has yet to comment on McGregor being found liable for sexual assault.