The Irish Court of Appeal has referred evidence related to Conor McGregor 's appeal against his civil sexual assault conviction to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). This decision follows the sudden withdrawal of key testimony by the fighter's defense, which would have been used to contest injuries to the plaintiff, Nikita Hand. The material will be investigated for possible perjury and bribery.
On Tuesday (1st), the former UFC champion's legal team dropped claims that Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins, Hand's neighbors in 2018, witnessed a physical altercation between her and her then-partner, Stephen Redmond, hours after meeting McGregor at the Beacon Hotel.
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In sworn statements, O'Reilly claimed to have seen Redmond "punch and kick" Hand, suggesting that this would explain his injuries. Cummins reported "disturbing screams" at the residence. The strategy was aimed at extricating the athlete from the charges.
The defense justified the withdrawal by saying that a report by expert Jack Crane, which was necessary to corroborate the accounts, was inadmissible. Three judges reacted with skepticism. One declared "incomprehension," another used "perplexity" to describe the maneuver.
John Gordon, Nikita Hand's lawyer, demanded reparations and requested a referral to the DPP to investigate possible perjury by witnesses and bribery by McGregor, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in Ireland. The court granted the request but deferred decisions on costs until the final hearing of the appeal.
Hand, who was present in court with family members, was never able to publicly refute the neighbors' accusations because the evidence was withheld. In court documents, he called the statements "fabricated lies" and denied any violence by Redmond.
Understand the case
In November, a civil jury in Ireland convicted Conor McGregor of sexually assaulting a woman at a luxury hotel in Dublin after a party in December 2018. Because it was a civil conviction, the decision did not result in criminal consequences such as imprisonment, but it did result in the fighter paying €250 (approximately R$1,5 million) in damages to the victim, Nikita Hand.
The fighter maintained that the sex was consensual and 'intense', but did not cause bruising. The civil verdict does not carry a prison sentence, unlike a criminal conviction, which has never been formalized against the Irishman.
McGregor has not fought in the UFC since 2021
McGregor, who is in the midst of a legal battle and in a physical recovery phase, has faced a series of setbacks since the injury he suffered in 2021.
The Irishman, who has won titles in two weight classes, has faced and defeated legends such as José Aldo , Eddie Alvarez, and Khabib Nurmagomedov . He hasn't fought in almost four years, since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier.
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Read More about: sexual assault, Conor McGregor case, Conor McGregor, Conor McGregor trial, McGregor's defense, McGregor accused, Nikita Hand, Samantha O'Reilly, Stephen Redmond, Steven Cummins, UFC
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