Irish martial artist Conor McGregor has said he intends to appeal, after a woman who said he raped her won a civil claim for damages.

Nikita Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her damages claim against him in a civil case at the High Court in the Irish capital.

The jury delivered its verdict on Friday.

The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was €248,603.60 (£206,714.31).

McGregor did not comment as he left court, but later said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he intends to appeal.

“I will appeal today’s decision,” he said.

He added: “I’m with my family now, focused on my future. Thanks to all my support worldwide.”

Speaking outside court earlier, Hand said she hoped her case would remind victims of abuse to keep “pushing forward for justice”.

“I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how scared you are, speak up, you have a voice and keep fighting for justice,” she said.

“I know this has impacted not only my life, but my daughter’s, my family and friends tremendously.

“It is something that I will never forget for the rest of my life.

“Now that justice has been served, I can now try to move on and look forward to the future with my family and friends and daughter.”

Asked if she felt vindicated after the jury’s decision, she replied: “Yes, I do. Thanks.”

McGregor had faced an allegation that he “brutally raped and assaulted” Nikita Hand in a south Dublin hotel in December 2018.

The Irish sports star previously told the court he had sex with Ms Hand in a penthouse at the Beacon Hotel.

Ms Hand, who is also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, lost her case against another man, James Lawrence, who she accused of assaulting her by having sex without her consent in the same hotel.

After eight days of evidence and three days of hearing closing arguments and the judge’s charge, the jury of eight women and four men spent six hours and ten minutes deliberating before returning their verdict.

Mr McGregor shook his head after the jury read out that Ms Hand had won her case against him.

McGregor was accompanied by his family, including his partner Dee Devlin, parents, sister and brother-in-law.

He sat in the back row of the court between his partner and his mother, Margaret.

Ms Hand, 35, cried and was hugged by her partner and supporters.

A number of police officers were in the courtroom when the verdict was handed down.

Ms Hand thanked her partner and family for their support.

She said: “I want to thank my partner Gary, who has been so supportive over the last four years and has held my hand through this trial every day and every other day.

“I want to thank my mom and all my family and friends.

– Finally, I want to thank my daughter Freya, for whom I am very grateful.

“She has given me so much strength and courage over the past six years during this nightmare to keep pushing forward for justice.

“I want to show Freya and all the other girls and boys that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.”

Ms Hand said the weeks of her civil case against McGregor had been a “nightmare”.

“I would like to start by saying that I am overwhelmed and touched by the support I have received from everyone.”

She thanked her legal team, the judge and jury, the gardai and paramedics, as well as the doctors and nurses who gave her treatment and the rape crisis centre.

Speaking to reporters outside court, an emotional Ms Hand added: “I want to thank all the women and men out there who have supported me during this trial.

“For every person who contacted me, a card, a letter, an email, everything, it has not gone unnoticed. Thank you, I really appreciate it so much.”

Earlier, when the judge returned to the courtroom, McGregor could be heard breathing loudly and heavily.

Judge Alexander Owens warned those in court to remain calm before the jury was called back.

“I understand the jury has a verdict,” Judge Owens said.

“I want everyone to be calm. I don’t want any scenes. Anyone who makes a scene will go to jail.”

The case, which opened on November 5, had previously heard that on the day of the attack, Ms Hand and her work colleague Danielle Kealy went to the penthouse suite with Mr McGregor and Mr Lawrence after their work Christmas party.

They had testified that they had partied all night from December 8 into the morning of December 9 and had been drinking heavily and taking cocaine.

Ms Hand, a mother-of-one, told the court how McGregor had pinned her to the bed in the hotel room before assaulting her.

During her evidence to the court, Ms Hand said she thought she would never see her young daughter again when the MMA star “choked” her.

The court heard that when she was attacked she “froze and couldn’t move or breathe”.

She said she had held up both hands and tried to get away from him, but said the more she struggled, the more he seemed to like it.

“The only thing I could move was my head. I bit him but I don’t remember where. He didn’t like it, so he turned me around and put his arm around my neck and choked me,” she said.

Ms Hand was left with extensive bruising and abrasions across her body, including purple and blue bruises along her hands and wrists, a bloody scratch on her chest and soreness in her neck, after she said she was placed in a “choke hold” by Mr. McGregor.

McGregor denied causing the bruises across her body, saying they could have been caused when she “swan dived” into the bath in the hotel room.

The court heard Ms Hand suffered serious physical and psychological injuries as a result of McGregor’s attack and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Ms Hand was taken the next day by ambulance to Rotunda Hospital where she was assessed in the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU).

A paramedic who examined Ms Hand the day after the assault had told the court she had not seen “someone so bruised” for a long time.

Ms Hand had also been concerned about a tampon she had been wearing on the night she was assaulted.

Dr. Daniel Kane, a gynecologist and a forensic examiner in sexual assault cases, explained how he had to use forceps to remove the tampon that had “dressed up.”

Ms Hand broke down several times as she testified for almost three days and sought a number of breaks.

The jury had been told Ms Hand had to leave her job as a hairdresser and has been unable to work since, due to her mental health, her relationship with her partner ended months after the incident, she had to move out of her home in Drimnagh, and her mortgage is now in arrears.

She also said she had to stop seeing a counselor because she could no longer afford to pay for the sessions.

The court also heard she has spent more than €4,000 (£3,326.54) on doctor, pharmacy and psychotherapist costs.