McGregor has been ordered to pay almost €250,000 in damages following a tense trial in Dublin's High Court.

The courtroom was packed on Friday as the jury, who had deliberated for just one day, returned to deliver their verdict. Both parties, seated towards the back of the small courtroom, awaited the decision with clear tension. Nearly six years had passed since the alleged incident at a Dublin hotel on 9 December 2018, when Hand claimed McGregor raped her. McGregor insisted the encounter was consensual.

Nikita Hand sat towards the back of the courtroom with her partner, Gary, by her side. At the opposite end of the same bench sat McGregor, joined by his fiancée Dee Devlin and a small group of supporters, including his parents. McGregor appeared focused on the jury as the judge addressed them in the morning. Once the jury began their deliberations, McGregor frequently moved around, talking with his supporters and occasionally stepping out of the courtroom.

By late afternoon, there were signs of progress as the jury indicated they would continue deliberations until 18:00 local time. The tension rose as news spread that the jury was ready to return with their verdicts. As the jury re-entered the packed courtroom, both McGregor and Hand showed visible emotion. The judge urged for calm, warning that any disruption would result in jail time.

The jury, consisting of eight women and four men, had spent just over six hours deliberating. They were tasked with answering two critical questions: whether Conor McGregor assaulted Nikita Hand, and whether another man, James Lawrence, assaulted her. The jury found "no" to both questions, leaving the room in silence.

However, the calm was briefly interrupted as the judge clarified the details of the damages. Ultimately, McGregor was ordered to pay almost €250,000 in damages to Nikita Hand.