Conor McGregor will be required to pay most of the legal fees for Nikita Hand following last month’s decision in their civil case.
Justice Alexander Owens ruled on Thursday that the UFC fighter will cover most of Hand’s legal costs estimated at approximately €1m million (just over $1 million U.S.).
The Irish Times noted:
The costs are on the normal party-party basis, not the higher solicitor-client basis sought by Ms Hand’s side, because the judge found nothing in the conduct of the defence case to justify the “exceptional” higher costs order.
Hand will not be required to cover the legal costs of co-defendant James Lawrence, who was not found liable in last month’s civil case. The assault claim against Lawrence was dismissed after the jury believed he did not assault Hand. The judge found it difficult to believe Lawrence could have separate legal costs independent of McGregor’s with the belief that the fighter covered Lawrence’s legal bills. The two had the same legal representation and were deemed to be “in lock step with each other.”
The Irish Times described the involvement of Lawrence in the case:
The jury decision that Mr Lawrence had not assaulted Ms Hand must have arisen because they did not believe Mr Lawrence’s claim he witnessed sex between Mr McGregor and Ms Hand and later had consensual sex with her himself after Mr McGregor left the hotel.
Mr Lawrence’s claim was made to gardaí in February 2019 following a “cryptic comment”, and assertions by Mr McGregor to gardaí that Mr Lawrence had sex with Ms Hand, the judge said.
The jury’s “no” answer was a “no” based on no sex with Mr Lawrence having taken place, not a “no” based on absence of proof of lack of consent by Ms Hand to sex with Mr Lawrence. It meant Mr Lawrence had not taken advantage of Ms Hand while drunk “because he did not have sex with her at all”.
Ms Hand also sued Mr Lawrence, of Rafter’s Road, Drimnagh, after his statement to gardaí in February 2019 alleging he had consensual sex twice with her after Mr McGregor left the hotel. Ms Hand said in evidence she had no memory of having sex with Mr Lawrence and described it as a “made-up story”.
Last month, the civil trial concluded with a jury finding McGregor civilly liable in the case where Hand accused him of sexually assaulting her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. McGregor acknowledged having consensual sex with Hand but denied raping her.
McGregor issued multiple statements after the verdict defending himself and indicating he would be filing an appeal. Judge Owens acknowledged the public outbursts and indicated he could charge McGregor with being in contempt of court while calling the statements “highly irresponsible”.
McGregor’s representatives indicated on Thursday that it was “highly likely” an appeal would be filed.
The UFC fighter has received tremendous backlash since the decision with his former whiskey company Proper No. 12 ceasing relations with McGregor, and IO Interactive ending its relationship with McGregor for the “Hitman” video game franchise.
McGregor remains under contract to the UFC and is a part owner of BKFC with neither company issuing a statement since the court decision was rendered.
