Conor McGregor rape accuser thought she would not see daughter again after 'choking'

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A woman who has accused UFC fighter Conor McGregor of raping her has told the court that she thought she would never see her young daughter again when the MMA star was “choking” her.

Nikita Ni Laimhin, also known as Nikita Hand, is seeking civil damages from Mr McGregor and another man, claiming she was sexually assaulted in December 2018. Ms Ni Laimhin accuses Mr McGregor of pinning her to a bed and raping her at a Dublin hotel.

On the second day of giving evidence before Dublin's High Court, she stated that she "froze and couldn't move or breathe" while being attacked. Ms Ni Laimhin broke down numerous times while giving evidence and sought a number of breaks.

The court heard that Ms Ni Laimhin had to leave her employment as a hairdresser and has not been able to work since owing to her mental health, that her relationship with her boyfriend ended months after the alleged event, that she had to move out of her Drimnagh house, and that her mortgage is now past due.

She also informed the court that she had to stop visiting a therapist because she could no longer afford the appointments. The court also heard that she had spent over 4,000 euros on GP, pharmacy, and psychotherapy fees.

The mother-of-one was left with severe bruises and abrasions all over her body, including purple and blue bruising on her hands and wrists, a bleeding scrape on her breast, and soreness in her neck when Mr McGregor held her in a "choke-hold," the court heard.

The court previously heard that Mr McGregor's lawyers will claim that what happened between him and Ms Ni Laimhin, who does not have an inherent right to anonymity, was consensual. Ms Ni Laimhin was at the hotel with Mr McGregor, second defendant James Lawrence, a friend, and several of the MMA star's security guards in December 2018.

In answer to questions from John Gordon SC, her defence barrister, Ms Ni Laimhin stated that she was "disappointed and upset" that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) opted not to charge both defendants after she filed a complaint with the Irish police.

In a letter sent to Ms Ni Laimhin in August 2020, the DPP said there was “insufficient evidence” and there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction. Ms Ni Laimhin asked the DPP to review the decision, saying she felt she was being treated differently because one of the suspects was a famous person.

On the second day of her testimony, Ms Ni Laimhin struggled as she articulated how Mr McGregor had held her to the hotel bed and placed his entire body weight against her. She apologised before the court, visibly trembling, and stated that she was upset. She said Mr McGregor's whole weight was on top of her, and she was unable to breathe.

She said she had raised out both hands and was attempting to break away from him, but the more she struggled, the more he seemed to enjoy it.

“I’m trying my best, I’m really sorry”, she told the court. “The only thing I could move was my head. I bit him but I can’t remember where. He didn’t like it so he flipped me around and put his arm around my neck and choked me.”

She added: “I’m really struggling with this. I am sorry.” Following a break, she told the court she had been standing against the bed and Mr McGregor had tried to come on to her. She said she told him she “wasn’t there for that”.

“He pinned me to the bed and I held my hands to my chest and he put his whole body weight on top of me and I couldn’t breathe,” she said, “The only thing I could move was my head and I bit him and tried my best to get away from him. I tried to shove him and wiggle and do whatever I could.

“I remember biting really hard and then his arms were around me and choking me. I was trying to fight as much as I could. He put his arm around my neck and choked me three times.

“I just froze and I couldn’t move or breathe and I kept looking at the bedpost and thinking of my daughter. I just kept thinking I would die and not see my daughter again.

“He let me go and I remember saying I was sorry, as I felt that I did something wrong and I wanted to reassure him that I wouldn’t tell anyone so he wouldn’t hurt me again.

“Then he said that’s how he felt when he was in the Octagon and had to tap out three times. I thought it was such a weird thing to say. I promised I wouldn’t tell anybody anything. Then I just let him do whatever he needed to do so I could survive. My mind was completely gone and I wasn’t myself anymore.

“He was really aggressive and pulling at my clothes and shoving my head down to do things and I kept pulling head back. He was trying to push my head down to his penis but I pushed my head back. He was pulling my clothes down. He then raped me. I felt like it was going on for ages.”

She paused to add: “I’m finding it really hard. I am sorry.”

Ms Ni Laimhin went on: “Then it was over. It was done. When he was raping me I was completely numb. I didn’t feel anything. I completely froze.”

She said she fell asleep on the bed in the hotel room and woke up later. She said the group had all left the hotel room, with Mr McGregor leaving with her friend, but she returned to the room with Mr Lawrence, where she saw the bruises on her body and broke down.

She told the court she told Mr Lawrence: “You all turn a blind eye to what Conor does to women.”

She showed him the bruises on her body, to which she claimed he said: “I can’t believe you were in that room and I was here while that was happening to you.”

Ms Ni Laimhin said she was astonished to find that Mr Lawrence claimed the two of them had consensual sex in the hotel room.

She told the court she thought he was looking out for her and being nice to her.

The case continues.

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