How the last day of the Nikita Hand case unfolded

On Friday, Nikita Hand, a lady who accused blended martial arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor of raping her, received her declare in opposition to him for damages in a civil case.

He was ordered to pay her nearly €250,000 (£208,000).

BBC Information NI was within the packed courtroom when the jury, who had deliberated for a day, delivered its verdicts.

The small courtroom at Dublin’s Excessive Courtroom was crammed with pressure because the jury filed again in.

Conor McGregor and Nikita Hand have been seated comparatively shut to one another in the direction of the again of the courtroom.

Shut, however worlds aside.

A momentous determination awaited these two folks nearly six years after they hung out collectively in a Dublin lodge, on 9 December 2018.

Nikita Hand claimed she was raped by the MMA star that day. He claimed that they had “fully-consensual intercourse”.

When the case resumed on Friday morning, Nikita Hand sat at one finish of a wood bench in the direction of the again of the courtroom, her accomplice Gary at her facet.

A row of chairs had been positioned behind the bench to accommodate different members.

McGregor sat on one of many chairs, on the reverse finish of the bench.

His fiancée, Dee Devlin, accompanied him to the case for the primary time they usually sat collectively.

He was additionally joined by his dad and mom in addition to a small group of supporters who stood instantly behind him within the again nook of the courtroom.

Whereas the choose addressed the jury at first of proceedings within the morning, Conor McGregor fastened his gaze on them.

As soon as the jury left the courtroom to return to their deliberations, he obtained up and stood chatting together with his supporters, sometimes strolling out and in of the courtroom, sipping from a water bottle, exhaling sluggish puffs of breath at instances, and infrequently buzzing briefly.

Later within the day, the court docket was instructed the jury needed to proceed till 18:00 native time.

Extra uncertainty, and ready.

Then, late within the afternoon, phrase out of the blue unfold a couple of breakthrough – the jury was about to return with verdicts.

McGregor returned with much more supporters round him this time, and the again of the courtroom was packed.

A court docket official, ultimately, needed to ask among the individuals who have been standing on the again to go away and go to the upstairs public gallery.

Because the jury filed again into the courtroom, each Ms Hand and McGregor seemed to be emotional.

Earlier than addressing the jury, the choose mentioned he needed “calm” for the verdicts and warned that “anybody who makes a scene will discover themselves in jail”.

The jury of eight ladies and 4 males had deliberated for six hours and ten minutes and now, on the twelfth day of the case, they have been about to reply two questions on two males.

Did Conor McGregor assault Nikita Hand?

They responded “sure”.

Did James Lawrence assault Nikita Hand?

The jury mentioned “no”.

The court docket remained quiet.

Then, particulars of damages awarded in opposition to Conor McGregor have been introduced.

There was a little bit of backwards and forwards earlier than the choose lastly clarified that the overall damages amounted to nearly €250,000.

With that, the case was over.

Folks began making their approach out of the courtroom and the media rushed exterior to arrange to relay this information to a worldwide viewers.

After a short while, McGregor emerged from the court docket, surrounded by his household and supporters, and adopted by the media each step of the best way alongside the entrance of the Excessive Courtroom to a ready automobile.

Reporters shouted repeated questions concerning the consequence of the case and his future.

McGregor mentioned nothing, and he was rapidly ushered right into a ready automobile and pushed off in opposition to the backdrop of clicking cameras and flashing digital camera lights.

Later, he introduced on social media that he plans to enchantment the choice.

Shortly after McGregor left, Ms Hand got here strolling in the direction of the ready media, surrounded by her authorized staff and her boyfriend.

She wept repeatedly as she learn a press release wherein she thanked her accomplice, her daughter, her household and everybody who despatched her messages of assist.

When she completed her assertion and as she ready to show away, I requested her to explain the previous two weeks.

“A nightmare,” she replied.