Woman 'devastated' and 'let down' by DPP's decision not to press charges against Conor McGregor

06 Nov 2024, 18:57 by Jane Moore, https://www.thejournal.ie/author/jane-moore/ · TheJournal.ie

LAST UPDATE | 38 mins ago

A WOMAN WHO is taking a damages claim against Conor McGregor has told the High Court she felt “devastated” and “let down” by the Director of Public Prosecutions’ decision not to prosecute him.

Nikita Hand (Ní Laimhín) alleges that McGregor (36) “sexually assaulted her, and in effect, raped her” in a hotel penthouse in Dublin on 9 December 2018, and that a second defendant, James Lawrence, of Rafter’s Road, Drimnagh, “did likewise”, Mr Justice Alexander Owens told the jury yesterday.

Hand (35) told the court today that she made a statement to An Garda Síochána on 5 January 2019 and an investigation subsequently commenced.

Ray Boland SC, for Hand (35), told the court that in 2020 the DPP told Hand that they were not going to prosecute McGregor or Lawrence. He said that Hand sent a letter to the DPP requesting reasons for this decision.

Boland told the court that Hand received a letter from the DPP in June 2020 informing her that a lawyer would consider her request. A subsequent letter was sent in July informing her that they hoped to be able to respond to her soon.

In August 2020, a letter to Hand from the DPP said it had carefully considered all of available evidence, which was considered personally by the director of DPP, and decided that there was not sufficient evidence to prosecute.

The letter said there was a very high standard of proof required in criminal cases and that if the available evidence was not strong enough, there can be no prosecution. It said Hand could request a review of the decision within 28 days.

Boland told the court that in response to this letter, Hand told the DPP that she was “very disappointed and upset” with the content of the letter. She said that mention of the case in newspapers and on social media “has been very upsetting for me and my family”.

She also said “I feel I am being treated differently to other people because one of the suspects is a famous person.”

Boland said that Hand requested a review of the decision. In September 2020, the DPP sent Hand a letter informing her that a review was still being considered and that as soon as it was completed, they would inform her of the outcome.

Boland said that in October 2020, Hand went to solicitor to initiate a civil claim.

He told the court that in November 2020, the DPP informed Hand that a review of the original decision had been carried out and that “after careful consideration”, it found that the decision not to prosecute was correct. It said there was “no reasonable prospect of conviction”.

The DPP assured Hand that the identity of the suspects “had no bearing” on its decision or the outcome of the case, Boland said.

Hand told the court that she felt “absolutely devastated” and “let down” at the DPP’s decision not to prosecute.

CCTV footage played for court

This afternoon Hand told the jury that she cannot remember CCTV footage showing her and the second man after the alleged attack and was “very drunk” at the the time.

CCTV footage from the Beacon hotel in Dublin was played to the jury and showed McGregor, plaintiff Nikita Hand, her friend and co-defendant James Lawrence exiting the hotel at around 6.15pm after the alleged assault on December 9, 2018.

The footage shows McGregor and the plaintiff’s female friend exit in a black BMW saloon, leaving Lawrence and Hand in the car park.

The CCTV footage played to the jury shows Lawrence and Hand return from the car park at 6.18pm with both parties appearing inebriated and barefoot. A sobbing Hand today said she could not remember the footage and that she was “very drunk” at the time.

“I can’t remember any of this,” a shaking and tearful Hand told her counsel Ray Boland SC, commenting on a segment where the plaintiff appears to put her arm around Lawrence’s neck in the lift and kiss him on the cheek.

When viewing the footage a crying Hand again said she could not watch any more because she could not remember it. The footage of the lift shows the two carrying a drink each and hugging at 7.30pm before going to the elevator again. Hand is carrying a bottle while Lawrence is carrying a glass.

Both then return to the lift with a security man and return again to the lift at 10.17pm. Five minutes later the two are seen crossing the lobby arms interlinked. And both then get into a taxi at the main entrance and depart the hotel. Hand repeated she had no memory of doing so.

Boland asked what Hand’s approach was to having sex while having her period and was told by the plaintiff that she would “never” do so, especially if she had a tampon in.

The trial has heard that a doctor had to remove a tampon from Hand by forceps the day after the alleged assault.

In cross examination, McGregor’s barrister Remy Farrell SC asked Hand, a hair colourist by trade, if she recalled going to a Christmas work party at Airfield in Dublin on the night before the alleged attack. Hand said she remembered that she went there around 7-8pm after work for around three hours before going to the Goat Grill pub.