Written by 
Mixed Martial Arts champion Conor McGregor has been accused of raping a woman in a Dublin hotel penthouse, following a cocaine-fuelled party.
Hair colourist Nikita Ni Laimhin, 35, has alleged that McGregor and his friend James Lawrence both had sex with her twice, without her consent.
She claims she was left extensively bruised and scratched following the assault, during which she claimed McGregor held her in a “stranglehold.”
The two men have denied her allegations, claiming the sex was consensual, and have suggested that Ms. Ni Laimhin is a “gold digger” and a “fraud,” her barrister said.
All were present at the Four Courts as the civil case began on Tuesday. A jury of eight women and four men will decide if the allegations are true, and if the plaintiff deserves compensation.
Opening the case, John Gordon SC, for Ms. Ni Laimhin, said his client was 29 at the time of the alleged incidents, was living in Drimnagh with her partner and seven-year-old daughter, and had a successful career in a hair salon in Goatstown.
He said she had been on a work night out on December 8, 2018, and that following the night out, she and her friends returned to the salon to continue the party.
“Of course, in Drimnagh, he was the hero of the hour,” Mr. Gordon said.
He said that his client “is no angel and does not pretend to be an angel.”
“She was partying hard. She had lots to drink. Her spirit of choice was Bacardi, she also had some beer and she also had some cocaine,” he said.
She was also on antidepressants, he told the jury.
In a desire to continue the party, she contacted Mr. McGregor, who was from the same area as her and with whom she had mutual friends, he said.
On the morning of December 9, he called to the salon and picked her up, along with another woman who was still there.
With Mr. McGregor, Ms. Ni Laimhin and her friend in the back of the car, and the driver in the front, they drove around for a while before calling to Mr. Lawrence’s house.
Mr. McGregor went into the house for around 15 minutes, before coming out with Mr. Lawence and a bag of cocaine. They all got into the car and shared the drugs, the court heard.
Mr. Gordon said that his client had started her period the day before, and had used a tampon.
“She will tell you she does not have sex during her period,” he said.
The group went to the Beacon hotel, and went up to a penthouse suite, where the party continued.
Ms. Ni Laimhin said that Mr. McGregor went into a bedroom and wanted her to perform oral sex, but she refused. She said he then “pinned her onto the bed.”
“She was clearly no physical match for Mr. McGregor,” Mr Gordon said.
“She will tell you that she was nervous. She tried to push him off her, but she was completely unable to do so.”
He said that in the course of the tussle, the watch on her wrist scratched her breast as he pressed down on her. Mr. McGregor then turned her over, and put her in an arm lock, before drawing her up by the neck until she could not breathe, Mr. Gordon said.
She said he told her: “Now you know what it was like in the Octagon. I had to tap myself out three times.”
Mr. Gordon said his client was “completely terrified.” He described it as a “violent, vicious assault” and said a doctor who examined Ms. Ni Laimhin after the incident found her tampon “embedded in her vagina.”
“In the face of this, Mr. McGregor tells you this was a consensual encounter, that they were just having fun and a bit of rough sex,” he said.
However, he said the jury would find her behaviour after the alleged assault “extraordinary” and “bizarre.”
She did not call for help or dial 999, he said, but he added: “She was of course full of drugs.”
He said she went back to the room and hung out with Mr. Lawrence, eventually getting a taxi home with him.
She did not believe anything sexual occurred between them, until she was advised the following February that Mr. Lawrence said they had sex twice, Mr Gordon said.
“My client has no recollection of such an event ever happening,” he said.
He told the jury this was not a criminal case, and that they would have to “decide what to make of it all.”
He said there would be a lot of noise, but that they should use their common sense in deciding the case, and “not be fooled.”
After the jury was sworn in, Judge Alexander Owens said: “Essentially the allegation in the statement of claim is that Mr. McGregor sexually assaulted Ms. Ni Laimhin and in effect raped her on the night of December 2018, and that Mr. Lawrence did likewise.
“It is not a criminal case, it is a civil action for assault…if proven… the person is entitled to compensation, which is called damages.”
He said the jurors would be responsible for determining the facts of what happened, based on what they heard in court.
He issued a strict warning that they should not act as private detectives, Google anything or research or comment on the case on social media such as Twitter or Facebook. To do so, and to disregard his order, would result in the juror being found in contempt of court, he cautioned.
Judge Owens said the jury would be asked to complete an issue paper at the end of the case, which he anticipated would require them to answer yes or no to the question “Did Conor McGregor assault Nikita Ni Laimhin,” and the same for Mr. Lawrence. If they find the answer is yes, on the balance of probabilities, they will then decide what damages are appropriate, he said.
The case continues.
*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.