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Conor McGregor was found guilty of assaulting a woman in Dublin in 2018
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Conor McGregor was found guilty of assaulting a woman in Dublin in 2018

A civil court jury in Ireland has found UFC fighter Conor McGregor guilty in his sexual assault case and awarded the woman who accused him of rape nearly 250,000 euros ($257,000). according to the Associated Press.

A 12-person jury at the High Court in Dublin handed down the verdict after six hours of deliberation, the AP reported. The woman accused McGregor of raping her at a Dublin hotel on Dec. 9, 2018, saying the attack after a night of partying left her bruised and caused her to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the AP.

McGregor has denied the allegations, saying he never forced the woman to do anything against her will. McGregor said the two engaged in consensual sex, according to the AP.

McGregor did not comment as he left the courtroom, but posted on X that he would appeal the decision.

Attorneys for both McGregor and the woman did not immediately respond to requests for comment The Athletic.

The woman gave a brief statement in court on Friday. The Athletic usually does not name victims or potential victims of sexual assault.

“For all victims of sexual assault, I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how scared you are, speak up, have a voice and keep fighting for justice,” she said. according to the BBC. “I know that this has affected not only my life, my daughter’s life, my family and my friends, and it’s something I will never forget for the rest of my life. But now that justice has been served, I can now try to move on and look forward to the future with my family, friends and daughter.”

In court, the woman testified that McGregor choked her and threatened to kill her during the incident, according to the AP. Her lawyer said McGregor was upset about a fight he lost in Las Vegas in October 2018.

McGregor said in his testimony that the woman’s story was untrue.

McGregor is not facing criminal charges in the case. Police investigated, but prosecutors declined to file charges, the AP reported.

McGregor lost that match in 2018 to Khabib Nurmagomedov, who choked out McGregor. The caustic atmosphere surrounding the fight sparked a melee outside the Octagon immediately after it was finished and ultimately led to suspensions for Nurmagomedov and McGregor. Since then, McGregor, 36, has fought three times in the UFC. His scheduled fight against Michael Chandler in June was canceled due to injury, which McGregor said at the time, “it took more time to heal than was available to me.”

McGregor, a former two-division champion, has not fought since breaking his leg in the first round of his loss to Dustin Poirier in 2021. He has not won a bout since January 2020.

The UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Photo: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)