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Injunction sought over McGregor trial CCTV footage

Reuters Conor McGregor has short hair and a beard. He is wearing a blue jacket, blue tie and a white shirt. Behind him is a security gate at the entrance of a court building.Reuters
Conor McGregor at court during the civil case against him in November last year

A woman who accused Conor McGregor of raping her is seeking an injunction to prevent him sharing CCTV footage shown in court during his trial.

In November, a jury in a civil case found that the Irish mixed martial arts fighter assaulted Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.

He has been ordered to pay her more than €248,000 (£206,000) in damages.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported that a barrister made the court aware she was seeking permission to serve notice seeking an injunction on Mr McGregor's solicitors.

The CCTV footage shows Ms Hand, McGregor and their friends Danielle Kealy and James Lawrence in the car park of the Beacon Hotel in Dublin and in the lift at various points on 9 December 2018.

The footage was viewed by jurors a number of times.

PA Media Nikita Hand is wearing a black jacket and a white blouse. She appears to be distressed and holding back tears.PA Media
Nikita Hand leaves Dublin High Court in November last year

Ms Hand's solicitor said supporting documents included articles which appeared in the Sunday Independent and Sunday World newspapers on 5 January.

In these, an an Italian business associate of McGregor's indicated the "imminent publication" of the footage.

The solicitor claimed this was to boost sales of an alcoholic beverage owned by Mr McGregor and distributed in Italy, by the associate, Gabriel Ernesto Rapisarda.

He told Mr Justice Alexander Owens that this was a contempt of court and the only purpose of doing it was to undermine and discredit the jury's verdict and to gain financially.

The judge gave permission for notice of the injunction to be served on Mr McGregor's solicitors and the issue will be back in court on Thursday.