Conor McGregor suing Sky News over ‘rapist’ claim

His barrister, Paul O’Higgins, told the High Court in Dublin that the Sky News reporter had called out to McGregor through a "media scrum" that he was a rapist.

The media scrum happened last year after a jury found McGregor liable for assaulting Dublin woman Nikita Hand.

Ms Hand, 36, a mother of one, had claimed the MMA fighter raped her in a Dublin hotel in 2018, and won almost €250,000 in damages from the jury in the civil case.

Nikita Hand.

McGregor, who also faced a €1.3 million legal bill, lost his appeal in the case in July.

In an application yesterday, Mr O’Higgins said the alleged words amounted to defamation of his client in that McGregor had been found by the jury to be "civilly ­liable" for assault.

The barrister said his client, in a sworn affidavit, stated that a Sky News reporter had called out: "Excuse me, Mr McGregor, you are a rapist. Have you any ­reaction or apology to the woman at the centre of this?"

The reporter’s words were broadcast by Sky on November 22, 2024, and could be found online. They amounted to defamation that occurred in this jurisdiction, Mr O’Higgins said.

Mr O’Higgins said he was before the court because, other than in exceptional circumstances, a ­defamation action must be taken within 12 months. He said the deadline would be this Saturday.

He said that because two of the intended defendants, Sky News UK and Sky News Ltd, were outside the jurisdiction, High Court permission was needed to begin proceedings.

Judge Mary Rose Gearty said she would grant the application for service of the plenary summonses, which will be issued today. A plenary summons will also be sent to Sky News Ireland, ­Burlington Plaza, Dublin 4, which is responsible for Sky publications in Ireland.

Conor McGregor photographed at the White House in 2025.

McGregor had not faced a criminal charge of rape. Ms Hand took her legal action after the DPP decided not to prosecute him.

However, while the High Court jury was asked only to reach a verdict as to whether McGregor assaulted Ms Hand, the Court of Appeal has said the jury was clear that the form of assault was rape.

In a ruling in July, after McGregor appealed the verdict, Judge Brian O’Moore listed a number of occasions in which trial judge Alexander Owens informed the jury that they were dealing with a claim of rape by Ms Hand.

McGregor has appealed to the Supreme Court, claiming his ‘right to silence’ was not properly acknowledged. He is awaiting a determination from that court as to whether it will hear the appeal.

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.