Irish court charges 2 with perjury over Conor McGregor appeal in civil case over sexual assault allegations

Two Irish residents face perjury charges following an investigation into false testimony related to Conor McGregor's unsuccessful appeal in his civil sexual assault case. Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins appeared in Dublin court on Tuesday, charged with providing statements they knew were false during the trial involving McGregor and Nikita Hand, who alleged McGregor sexually assaulted her in a Dublin hotel in 2018. A jury found McGregor liable, ordering him to pay Hand £206,000 plus legal fees. O'Reilly, McGregor's former neighbor of Hand, submitted an affidavit to his appeal claiming she witnessed a physical altercation between Hand and her ex-boyfriend around the time of the alleged assault—evidence Hand disputed. McGregor's appeal was ultimately unsuccessful, and the evidence was withdrawn. McGregor continues to maintain his innocence, stating in July before his scheduled comeback against Max Holloway: "I am an innocent man. I'll stand for my innocence until the day I go out. I know the truth. I know that lying lips are an abomination to the lord. I know that anything done in darkness will soon come to light. I trust in god that it's coming." The perjury charges represent a separate legal development in a case that has now proceeded through jury trial, appeal, and criminal investigation.