Masked men broke into Nikita Hand’s home, then burst into her bedroom before being driven out by her partner, who suffered stab wounds.

But details of the attack, which took place in June, were not revealed to the jury in Conor McGregor’s trial after the judge ruled it was irrelevant to the allegation of assault.

A jury on Friday found Mr McGregor assaulting Ms Hand after she accused the former MMA champion of raping her in a Dublin hotel room.

Ms Hand’s solicitor Ray Boland revealed in a submission before the jury was sworn in that the group, all wearing balaclavas, carried out the attack on her home in Drimnagh, south Dublin, on June 14.

The court was told they were “driven out by her partner”, who suffered the stab wounds. Her young daughter, who was in another bedroom, called 999.

Boland added that the gang smashed the front window of the house and then fled before gardaí arrived. On behalf of Ms Hand, he wanted to present the incident as evidence.

He added that her lawyers “obviously didn’t put it at the feet of the defendants or say they had anything to do with it” but argued it was linked to supporters of Mr McGregor.

Boland added that the jury would be told that McGregor had nothing to do with the attack, but it was relevant to the claim that she had to move from Drimnagh and relevant to her state of anxiety.

McGregor’s lawyers said it was something they were not aware of and that it was “extraordinary” that there would be an attempt to smuggle it into the case.

Judge Owens ruled it was “completely irrelevant” and should not be referred to during the trial.

During the trial it was referred to that Ms Hand needed to leave her home but not the reason.