High Court date set for damages claim against McGregor

After several delays a woman's damages claim for alleged assault against mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, which was lodged against the fighter three years ago, is to go before a High Court jury next month.

At the High Court, Mr Justice Alexander Owens fixed 5 November for the personal injury case against Mr McGregor, who was once the highest-paid athlete in the world.

The action was brought in 2021 by a young woman who is allegedly known to Mr McGregor and seeks damages against the fighter.

The action, which will be before a jury and presided over by a judge of the High Court, was due to be heard in late June or early July but was put back after Mr McGregor succeeded in an application to adjourn the hearing to allow him take part in a UFC bout against Michael Chandler in Las Vegas.

That contest however, was cancelled after Mr McGregor broke his toe in training.

At a sitting of the High Court in May, Remy Farrell SC for Mr McGregor said his client had entered into a contract regarding the fight and it would not be practical for the trial to occur in and around the contest, particularly if his client were to sustain any injuries in the bout.

The application for an adjournment was opposed by the plaintiff.

John Gordan SC, for the woman, said that his client had been waiting for some time to get a hearing for the case, which has attracted "a lot of media attention".

Counsel said his side has been unhappy since the defendant indicated he was seeking another adjournment, this time to take part in a "boxing match". The hearing, counsel said, had previously been adjourned following an earlier request by Mr McGregor.

At that May sitting, Mr Justice Owens told the court that he is well aware of who Mr McGregor is and said that he was doing the plaintiff "a favour" by listing the case for hearing during the civil juries sessions in November, as it would definitely go ahead then.

The woman's claim against Mr McGregor is one of two initiated against the fighter over events alleged to have taken place in 2018 in Dublin.

She has also sued an associate of Mr McGregor.

The actions were filed in the High Court over three years ago, however no details of her claim have been aired in open court.

The allegations in the actions are fully denied.