Tampon wedged in woman's body among key evidence in sexual assault case against McGregor

SHAH ALAM - A tampon, described as being "wedged" at the top of Nikita Hand’s vagina, became a central piece of evidence in the case that led to MMA fighter Conor McGregor being found liable for rape in Ireland.

Multiple international news agencies reported that two witnesses in Hand's civil case against McGregor testified that a tampon had to be removed from Hand's body by a doctor, using forceps, the day after the incident allegedly took place.

It was reported that Dr Daniel Kane from the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit at Rotunda Hospital, who was a witness in the trial gave evidence that a tampon was "wedged" at the very top of Hand's vagina.

He also testified that she had a possible internal tear in her vagina and suffered multiple "moderate to severe" injuries including bruises on all four limbs.

A paramedic who treated Hand told the court that she had not encountered such extensive bruising in a long time.

McGregor, who was found liable for raping Hand, denied causing the injuries to the victim stating that "there was no tampon" when he was present.

However, the graphic nature of the evidence swayed the jury, who scrutinised conflicting testimonies and emotional accounts over weeks.

Hand won the civil case and was awarded nearly €250,000 in damages after the High Court jury found that she was raped by McGregor in a hotel in Dublin in December 2018.

Following the verdict on Nov 23, Hand expressed gratitude for the support she received throughout the trial.

"I want to thank all the men and women who supported me through this trial. For every person who reached out to me, thank you—I appreciate it so much," she said.

She dedicated her victory to survivors of sexual assault, urging them to speak up and to not give up until justice was served.

McGregor’s defence heavily relied on the hotel's closed-circuit television footage, which they argued showed Hand engaging amicably with others post-incident.

His legal team pointed to moments where she appeared affectionate with another man.

However, Hand testified she had no memory of parts of that footage, attributing her condition to being "very, very drunk."

The case sparked heated debates online especially on X with many expressing outrage over the verdict.

Social media user Dr Afeeyah commented that the MMA fighter should be locked up for his irresponsible actions.

"They had to surgically remove a tampon after the r*pe. This is not enough; he needs to be locked up," she wrote.

Another X user, Zoey, said no amount of money could compensate Hand for what she lived through.

"But this is still too little. A millionaire walks free and she gets crumbs?," she said.

Social media user Umi Bishnoi said the trauma caused by such violence was unimaginable and justice must hold the perpetrator accountable.