Paramedic testifies to ‘very bruised’ state of woman accusing Conor McGregor of rape

A paramedic testified in court that a woman alleging rape by MMA fighter Conor McGregor at a Dublin hotel exhibited bruising unlike any she had encountered on a patient in a considerable period. Eithne Scully provided testimony during the second week of a civil lawsuit initiated by Nikita Hand against Mr McGregor and James Lawrence. Both Mr McGregor and Mr Lawrence, residing at Rafter’s Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, refute Ms Hand’s allegations. Unlike in a criminal prosecution, a civil action in the Republic of Ireland does not grant automatic anonymity to either the complainant or the two men accused during the judicial process. Ms Scully recounted that upon her initial encounter with Ms Hand in a Drimnagh house bedroom on 10 December 2018, Ms Hand appeared withdrawn, agitated, and upset. She noted a cut on Ms Hand’s chin and bruising on her lower neck, chest, legs, buttocks, thighs, and lower leg. Ms Scully described Ms Hand as “very bruised,” stating that in her professional experience, “I haven’t seen someone so bruised, with that intensity of bruising.” According to Ms Scully, Ms Hand’s primary worry was a tampon that had been pushed too far internally. Ms Scully testified that she requested Ms Hand’s consent to remove her pyjama bottoms in the ambulance to assess the bruising, as it was necessary to determine the full scope of her injuries. Furthermore, Ms Scully stated that Ms Hand informed her of being grabbed around the neck, mentioned resisting someone, and indicated a threat had been made against her. Ms Hand did not identify her assailant. Neil Dempsey, a fellow paramedic, informed the court that he responded to a call at a Drimnagh residence on 10 December 2018, where he discovered Ms Hand in an agitated condition in an upstairs bedroom. He observed visible marks on her neck and breast. Mr Dempsey stated that Ms Hand reported a sexual assault to paramedics, leading them to transport her to a sexual assault treatment unit. The jury viewed video footage from inside the ambulance, depicting Mr Dempsey and Ms Scully attending to Ms Hand. The recording showed Ms Scully examining visible bruising on Ms Hand’s thighs and knee. Subsequent portions of the footage displayed Ms Hand moving from the trolley and sitting upright. Mr Dempsey testified that her distress intensified during the hospital journey, and she experienced a panic attack, also appearing to vomit at one stage. Under cross-examination by defence counsel Remy Farrell, Mr Dempsey confirmed that his statement to gardaí (Irish police) four days later included the remark: “I asked her what happened; she said she could hardly remember, but she was raped.” He further acknowledged that his statement to gardaí documented Ms Hand repeatedly telling her mother in the hospital, “Mam, please don’t say anything.” General practitioner Emma Quinn stated that Ms Hand consulted her on 19 December 2018, reporting neck pain and the sensation of a lump in her neck. Dr. Quinn added that Ms Hand’s reported symptoms aligned with her account of being restrained around the neck and were consistent with internal bruising. Psychiatrist Ann Leader informed the court that following an extensive discussion with Ms Hand in December 2020, she diagnosed her with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dr. Leader observed Ms Hand to be anxious, tearful, and exhibiting signs of trauma. The psychiatrist further testified that Ms Hand recounted feeling detached, stating she “just gave up” and permitted events to unfold, and that she felt like a “lump of meat.” On Tuesday, at the commencement of the proceedings, Mr Justice Alex Owens informed the jury that it had been discovered that a photograph or screenshot was taken of a remote feed of the hearing, which had been established the previous week for legal practitioners to observe the case. Judge Owens stated that a journalist had brought this matter to the court service’s attention, and it was currently under investigation as a potential breach of data protection and contempt of court.