McGregor admits 'taking cocaine' on night of alleged rape

Conor McGregor has admitted taking cocaine on the night it is alleged he raped a Dublin woman.

In court on Thursday, the Irish mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter replied "correct" when John Gordon SC stated he had cocaine in his car along with the alleged victim and another witness.

The court also heard Mr McGregor answered "no comment" to over 100 questions in his first police interview and said he did so under advice of his lawyer because he was in a state of "shock and fear".

Dublin woman Nikita Hand has accused the sportsman of rape after a Christmas night out in December 2018. He denies all allegations.

The trial is a civil case in Dublin High Court after the Director of Public Prosecutions in Ireland refused to charge Mr McGregor criminally.

The interview, held in January 2019, saw Mr McGregor attend Dundrum Garda Station attend an interview with his solicitor and handed over a prepared written statement.

After this, Mr McGregor said "no comment" to such questions as if he and Nikita Hand were from the same area of Crumlin in Dublin.

The judge reminded the eight women and four men of the jury that no inference can be made by Mr McGregor's refusal to comment. It is his legal right.

Mr McGregor said the statement was "to the point" when it was put to him it was "short".

"I would have loved to go to a top of the mountain with a microphone and shout from the hilltops but because of the seriousness of the allegation I went to my lawyer and I took their advice," he said.

Mr McGregor also said he had been "beyond petrified" during the garda interview, because it was the first time anything like that had happened to him.

"I feel I was as good, as cooperative, I took their advice, I put myself in their hands, this is alien to me, it's the first time anything like that has ever happened to me in my life."

Later Mr McGregor added: "These allegations are false, I'm here to say my piece and my truth, these allegations are lies, they're false."

Mr McGregor claims Nikita Hand had consensual sex with him twice. He also claimed in court that Hand had sex with his associate and co-defendant James Lawrence. Nikita Hand says she never had sex with Mr Lawrence.

Mr McGregor said he had one of his staff book the Beacon Hotel

John Gordon SC representing Ms Hand later brought up evidence from Ms Hand's gynaecological assessments.

Forceps were used to remove a tampon which had become wedged inside Ms Hand's vagina.

Mr McGregor claims Ms Hand was not wearing a tampon while she had sex with him. When asked how he thought it got there, Mr McGregor said: "Not with me".

Mr McGregor was also asked if he had paid Mr Lawrence's legal fees.

"I believe I did," he said.

Later, when asked under cross-examination whether Ms Hand had been in fear, Mr McGregor said there had been "no sign of distress, fear, anything other than enjoyment, elations and excitement".

Ms Hand, a former hair colourist from Dublin, is seeking financial damages including loss of earnings for the distress she suffered as a result of the alleged sex attacks.

Giving evidence during earlier hearings, she claimed Mr McGregor placed her in a choke hold and choked her three times before raping her.

A paramedic who examined Ms Hand on the day after the alleged attacks told the court on Tuesday that she had not seen such bruising on a patient in a long time.

Mr McGregor's co-defendant, Mr Lawrence took the stand on Thursday afternoon.

He claimed he had consensual sex with Ms Hand twice in the hotel room when Mr McGregor left the hotel.

Mr Lawrence said Ms Hand was flirtatious and initiated the sex.

He added that she was only upset in the room about one small bruise and what she was going to tell her boyfriend about it.

Ms Hand previously told the court she has no memory of ever having sex with Mr Lawrence, but remembered telling him that she had been raped by the MMA fighter and became distressed.

Her claim is that Mr Lawrence was shocked at her allegations and sought to comfort her at the time.

When asked if he was the "fall guy" for Mr McGregor, Mr Lawrence said "not in a million years".

He added he has six sisters and nieces and would not defend such actions if they had occurred.

In a Republic of Ireland civil action - as opposed to a criminal case - neither the complainant nor the accused are entitled to automatic anonymity during the court proceedings.