Conor McGregor has been ordered to pay over €1 million in legal costs and damages after being found liable in a civil lawsuit for sexually assaulting a woman in 2018, with plans to appeal the verdict while facing potential contempt of court charges for his social media outbursts.
Conor McGregor’s legal troubles have taken a costly turn. A court has ordered him to cover the expenses related to a lawsuit brought by a woman who alleged he sexually assaulted her in Dublin back in 2018.
On Thursday, Justice Alexander Owens ruled that McGregor must pay the legal costs for Nikita Hand after a jury found him liable in the civil case. According to the Irish Times, these costs could soar to €1 million, or about $1.05 million USD.
In addition to these fees, McGregor is also required to pay damages amounting to €248,603.60, which is roughly $258,440. However, not all requests were granted; the judge dismissed an appeal from Hand’s lawyers for maximum cost recovery on a “solicitor and client basis.”
James Lawrence, who faced trial alongside McGregor but was cleared of liability, won’t be able to claim legal costs from Hand either. The judge made this clear in his orders.
McGregor’s social media activity hasn’t gone unnoticed. His online outbursts criticizing the verdict and announcing plans to appeal caught the judge’s attention. Owens hinted at potential contempt of court charges, labeling McGregor’s behavior as “highly irresponsible.”
Despite these warnings, the judge acknowledged McGregor’s financial capability to handle any penalties that might arise. After an 11-day trial, the jury found McGregor liable following Hand’s accusations of rape and assault during an incident in 2018.
McGregor and his team defended themselves by claiming the encounter was consensual, describing it as “athletic” and “physical.” In response to the trial’s outcome, McGregor issued statements expressing regret for his infidelity but firmly denying any assault.
“I needed time,” McGregor wrote in November. He admitted mistakes but insisted everything that night was consensual, with witnesses backing his account under oath. An appeal is reportedly imminent.
His fiancée, Dee Devlin, also spoke out against Hand’s claims post-trial. Meanwhile, fallout for McGregor extends beyond the courtroom. Several business partners have severed ties with him, including Proper No. 12 whiskey—his brainchild sold for millions.
Proximo Spirits, now owning Proper No. 12, confirmed they’ll no longer associate with McGregor and clarified he holds no stake in the brand anymore.