NIKITA HAND HAS won a High Court judgement against her former neighbours, who were due to give evidence as part of a civil appeal by Conor McGregor.

The court this morning heard that Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins had failed to engage with a lawsuit filed against them by Hand last August over claims that she said were “lies”.

O’Reilly and Cummins were due to be witnesses last August in McGregor’s appeal against the civil jury finding that he sexually assaulted Hand in Dublin’s Beacon Hotel on 9 December 2018. 

In an affidavit, O’Reilly claimed that, from a bedroom in her home, she observed a physical row between Hand and her then-partner, Stephen Redmond, hours after the encounter between Hand and McGregor in the hotel.

O’Reilly also swore that while she did not actually see Hand being kicked on the ground, by the body movement of her then-partner, she believes he kicked Hand after he pushed her.

McGregor claimed the evidence provided a “plausible” explanation for bruising on Hand’s body, which she claimed the MMA fighter had caused. 

In a responding affidavit, Hand described the claims by O’Reilly, and claims by O’Reilly’s partner Steven Cummins that he heard screaming from Hand’s home on the night, as “lies”. She said Redmond never assaulted her at any time in their relationship.

Though McGregor wanted to introduce the evidence to back up his appeal, it was dropped at the very last minute during court proceedings. O’Reilly and Cummins never appeared in court.

McGregor’s appeal was ultimately dismissed in its entirety by the Court of Appeal.

Hand launched civil proceedings against her former neighbours in August. 

At the High Court this morning, Siún Leonowicz BL, on behalf of Hand and instructed by Coleman Legal, asked Ms Justice Emily Egan for motions for judgement in default of appearance.

There was no appearance on behalf of either O’Reilly or Cummins in court when they were called this morning. 

Leonowicz said Hand was seeking costs in relation to an “abuse of the process of the court”. 

She presented the court with affidavits showing that both O’Reilly and Cummins had both been personally served with legal papers notifying them of Hand’s proceedings against them on 1 and 5 August 2025, respectively. 

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In September last year, both received a 28-day warning letter notifying them that motions for judgement in default of appearance would be sought if they failed to respond. 

Ms Justice Egan asked: “You’ve heard nothing from either defendants?”

“No, judge,” Leonowicz responded. 

Ms Justice Egan said she was satisfied that both defendants had been served accordingly.

She granted the judgements in default of appearance and awarded the costs of the application to Hand. She also said that damages in respect of the matter would be assessed by a judge sitting alone. 

Ms Justice Egan put a stay on the order for four weeks.