Conor McGregor Arrives In Court Stemming From 2018 Rape Allegation

Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor is facing serious allegations in Dublin’s High Court, where he has been accused of raping a woman in a Dublin hotel.

Nikita Ni Laimhin has filed a civil damages claim against McGregor and another man, James Lawrence, alleging that she was sexually assaulted by the two men in 2018.

On Tuesday, November 5, Conor McGregor, known as “Notorious” in the fighting world, appeared in court.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, McGregor’s legal team argued that Ni Laimhin, who does not have an automatic right to anonymity in this case, is attempting extortion, per Daily Mail. McGregor was present in court as Justice Alexander Owens informed the jury of the allegations, stating that the assault is alleged to have occurred on December 9, 2018.

At the time, Ni Laimhin was living in the Dublin suburb of Drimnagh with her partner and seven-year-old daughter. She had spent the evening of the alleged incident out with friends.

As the night continued, Ni Laimhin and two friends returned to her salon to keep the party going, and at some point, she reached out to McGregor, who, according to her attorney John Gordon SC, was familiar with her, being of a similar age, from the same community, and having mutual friends.

He also noted that the two had been in contact through social media at various times and that McGregor, “enormously famous” and seen as a “hero” in Drimnagh, held significant influence in the area.

The court heard that McGregor had reportedly picked up Ni Laimhin, a Dublin hairdresser, and her friend following a Christmas party on December 8. Seated in the back with the two women, McGregor’s driver took them on a circuitous route through local housing estates, occasionally honking the horn.

The group, including Ni Laimhin, McGregor, his security team, and others, eventually headed to a penthouse suite at the Beacon Hotel in Dublin, where they spent time drinking and laughing together.

According to statements in court, Mr. McGregor later went into a bedroom and gestured for Ni Laimhin to follow him. Once inside, Ni Laimhin alleges that McGregor "came on to her," but she was not interested in engaging in sexual activity, as she was on her period.

John Gordon SC told the court that she claimed McGregor then pinned her down on the bed, emphasizing that she was no physical match for the fighter.

"She will tell you that she was nervous, that she tried to push him off her but she was completely unable to do so," he added. "You will see pictures of her hands and wrists, which are black and blue. You will see that her left breast has a bloodied scratch."

He added, "The scratch is there because she was wearing a watch and had her hands up to protect herself. She was pressed down on and the watch scarred her breast."

According to the claims, McGregor then "flips her over and puts her arm in a lock and draws her up by the neck. She can't breathe. And he does it again."

"By the third time he does it, she gives up. She can't resist this anymore. In the course of this, he says: 'Now you know what it was like to be in the Octagon when I went down three times,'" her attorney told the courtroom. "She was at this point completely terrified. She subjected herself to what was about to happen, which was a violent and vicious assault."

It was later alleged that Ni Laimhin had sex with Lawrence, though her attorney, John Gordon SC, stated that she has no recollection of such an event occurring.

Gordon later clarified that his client “doesn’t pretend to be an angel,” acknowledging that she had been drinking and had taken cocaine that night. The court also heard that Ni Laimhin had a history of depression and was on anti-depressants.

After returning home, Ni Laimhin visited her mother, who then called 999. Ni Laimhin was subsequently taken to the hospital by ambulance. The court heard that she was visibly shaking and in pain during the transfer.

"In the face of this, Mr. McGregor will tell you that this was a consensual encounter, that they were just having fun and a bit of rough sex. That's his answer," Gordon told the court. "What did I say about common sense? Don't be fooled into leaving it behind in this (court) room."

"What he is saying is that she gave him a license to carry out what has to have been a brutal assault on her body," he added.

The proceedings are expected to continue for approximately two weeks.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-HOPE) or a local rape crisis center.