James Lawrence, the man accused of raping Nikita Hand alongside mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in 2018, has initiated legal proceedings against Ms Hand.
A High Court civil jury last year found that Mr Lawrence did not assault Ms Hand, a mother-of-one, at the Beacon Hotel, Sandyford, Dublin on December 9th, 2018.
Ms Hand had alleged Mr Lawrence assaulted her by having sex with her without her consent in the hotel, a claim he denied.
The jury found that Mr McGregor did assault Ms Hand, however, and awarded her almost €250,000 damages. Mr McGregor’s appeal of this finding was thrown out by the Court of Appeal in July.
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On Friday, Mulholland Law said in a statement that it had initiated proceedings on behalf of Mr Lawrence, seeking damages for Ms Hand’s alleged “abuse of process” in bringing her personal injuries case against him.
A spokesperson for the firm described Ms Hand’s case against Mr Lawrence as “frivolous” and “unnecessary”, which exposed him to substantial costs, media scrutiny, and publications that undermined “his good standing and character”.
The firm claimed the “litigation brought against Mr Lawrence was highly improper and vexatious”.
The statement said Mr Lawrence was bringing the case against Ms Hand reluctantly, to protect his reputation and his family “in the pursuit of justice and to ensure truth and transparency”.
Both the High Court and the Court of Appeal refused to award Mr Lawrence (36), of Rafters Road, Drimnagh, his legal costs arising from Ms Hand’s case against him. His costs were were paid for by Mr McGregor.
The Court of Appeal said the jury must not have accepted Mr Lawrence’s evidence of consensual sex between Ms Hand and Mr McGregor.
That, and the fact his costs were paid by Mr McGregor in an arrangement “shrouded in mystery”, would constitute special cause for not awarding costs to him against, it said.
Another reason why Mr Lawrence should not get costs against Ms Hand was that, if he were to pass on costs to Mr McGregor, that would mean she would be paying costs “initially to a man who gave inaccurate evidence against her and ultimately to the man who raped her”, the court said.
It is understood Mr Lawrence now intends to appeal the ruling refusing him his costs in the case.
Prior to the hearing of Mr McGregor’s failed appeal of the jury finding, new evidence the MMA fighter had sought to introduce was dramatically withdrawn.
The evidence is being investigated by gardaí for possible perjury. On foot of the investigation report, the Director of Public Prosecutions will decide if there is any basis to bring a prosecution.
