The Garda National Bureau of Crime Investigation is carrying out an investigation into allegations of perjury involving a couple who were named as witnesses in a failed civil court rape appeal by Conor McGregor.
Nikita Hand sued the MMA fighter in the High Court last year.
Ms Hand (35) accused Mr McGregor of raping her in the Beacon Hotel penthouse suite in Dublin on December 9th, 2018.
Mr McGregor (36) denied the allegation, claiming they had consensual, “vigorous” sex.
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However, a civil jury found he had assaulted Ms Hand and awarded her €248,603 in damages. Mr McGregor immediately launched an appeal.
Mr McGregor had sought to introduce fresh evidence for his appeal which he said bolstered his insistence he was not responsible for bruising on the body of Ms Hand noted by a doctor who examined her on December 10th, 2018.
The evidence included affidavits from Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins, who lived across the road from Ms Hand in Drimnagh in late 2018.
In an affidavit sworn last January, Ms O’Reilly claimed she had witnessed, from her home, a physical altercation between Ms Hand and her then partner Stephen Redmond in their home on the night of December 9th/10th, 2018.
In an affidavit, Ms Hand described her neighbours’ claims as lies and said Mr Redmond never assaulted her that night or at any time during their relationship.
[ ‘I know what happened in that room’: the full story of the Conor McGregor caseOpens in new window ]
An application to admit the neighbours’ evidence was dramatically withdrawn by Mr McGregor’s side at the outset of the appeal. Ms Hand’s lawyers applied last month to have the matter referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for consideration of possible perjury, including possible induced perjury by Mr McGregor.
Gardaí confirmed on Saturday that “following correspondence from the DPP relating to a recent court case, the Garda National Bureau of Crime Investigation is carrying out an investigation.”
A senior investigating officer has been appointed to the investigation.
A person who gives a false sworn statement and knows it to be so, is committing an act of perjury.
Mr McGregor’s appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal late last month.
Ms Hand, who has been granted legal costs estimated at €1.3 million, is now suing Mr McGregor, Ms O’Reilly and Mr Cummins for damages.
