UFC superstar Conor McGregor has been granted permission to serve legal papers to Sky News for defamation after the news outlet allegedly called him a rapist in the wake of a civil court case where he was found liable following accusations of sexual assault.
On Thursday, a judge in Ireland granted McGregor permission to serve Sky News after an alleged altercation took place outside a courthouse back in 2024. Numerous outlets including RTE in Ireland reported the news.
The incident followed a jury finding McGregor liable after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman named Nikita Hand at a Dublin hotel back in 2018. Criminal charges were never filed but Hand pursued civil action against the former UFC champion.
The jury sided with Hand and found McGregor liable for sexual assault with the fighter ordered to pay her £206,000 ($271,742.84) along with legal fees.
In court, McGregor’s attorneys argued that outside the courthouse on Nov. 22, 2024, a Sky News reporter allegedly called him a rapist during a media scrum and that’s what led to pursuing legal action against the media outlet for defamation.
McGregor’s attorneys stated that the reportedly alleged approached McGregor and said “Excuse me, Mr. McGregor, you are a rapist, have you any reaction or apology to the woman at the center of this?’”
The legal limitation for a possible lawsuit is one-year, and that deadline was fast approaching, which is what led to the appearance in court on Thursday. The judge said that paperwork would be filed by Friday to allow the case to move forward.
The lawsuit is the latest legal drama for McGregor after he was initially found liable in the civil case over the alleged sexual assault. McGregor eventually filed an appeal but that was also shot down by the courts.
Now McGregor is seeking legal action against the news outlet in Ireland for defamation.
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