Conor McGregor issued an apology to his partner Dee Devlin, admitting “I know I made mistakes” as he responded to the verdict of his civil trial. The former UFC champion had been accused of “brutally raping and battering” Nikita Hand at a hotel in south Dublin in December 2018, which he denied in court.
However, a jury found him liable for assaulting Hand, and he was ordered to pay her £200,000. McGregor maintains that he had consensual sex with Hand and has vowed to appeal the decision.
In a statement on social media, he expressed his desire to move forward with his life and return to the UFC, while also apologising to Devlin, who was present with him when the verdict was delivered on Friday. “People want to hear from me, I needed time,” McGregor wrote.
“I know I made mistakes. Six years ago, I should have never responded to her outreaches.
“I should have shut the party down. I should never have stepped out on the woman I love the most in the world. That’s all on me.
“As much as I regret it, everything that happened that night was consensual and all the witnesses present swore to that under oath. I have instructed my legal team to appeal the decision.
“I can’t go back and I will move forward. I am beyond grateful to my family, friends and supporters all over the world who have stayed by my side. That’s it. No more. Getting back to the gym- the fight game awaits!” McGregor’s accuser, Nikita Hand, emerged victorious in her claim after the jury took just over six hours of deliberation before returning with their verdicts. At the start of the trial, it was disclosed that she had been forced to relocate following a break-in by individuals in balaclavas, believed to be fans of the UFC star, during which her boyfriend was stabbed as their baby slept in the next room.
After the court mandated McGregor to pay damages, Ms. Hand expressed outside the courtroom: “I am overwhelmed by the support I have received from everybody. I want to thank my legal team and my three barristers, they have been amazing from start to finish.
“I want to thank the justice, the jury and all the witnesses. I want to thank the doctors, nurses and everyone at the sexual assault unit at the Rotunda assault unit, especially my own doctor. I want to thank the rape advice centre, I want to thank all the guards and the ambulance crew.
“I want to thank the men and women who have supported me throughout this trial. For every person who reached out to me, a card, email, everything, it has not gone unnoticed. Thank you, I really appreciate it so much.”
The survivor expressed her heartfelt gratitude in a moving statement: “I want to thank my partner who has been so supportive for the last four years and has held my hand throughout this trial every day. I want to thank my mum and all my family and friends. I want to thank my daughter who I am most grateful for. She has given me so much strength and courage over the last six years through this nightmare to keep pushing forward for justice.”
She continued: “I want to show her and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served. To all the victims of sexual assault, I hope my story is a reminder that you have a voice and to keep on fighting for justice.”
Concluding her statement, she added: “I know this has impacted my life, my daughter’s, my family and friends’ tremendously and it is something I will never forget for the rest of my life. But now that justice has been served I can now try and move on and look forward to the future with my family, friends and daughter.”