Mixed Martial Arts star Conor McGregor has been accused of playing “ducks and drakes” with the High Court regarding the hearing date of an assault claim against him.
The action has been brought by a young woman, who seeks damages against the fighter, is allegedly known to Mr McGregor.
On Thursday the High Court heard from the woman’s lawyers that Mr McGregor, who denies all claims of wrongdoing against him, was trying to have the case, which had been previously adjourned, further adjourned to a date in November.
The matter, which is due to heard before a jury and presided over by a judge of the High Court, was briefly mentioned before Mr Justice Alexander Owens.
Remy Farrell SC for Mr McGregor said his client wants to bring pretrial motions, where he seeks the discovery or production of materials in support of his denials from parties including An Garda Síochána.
The judge agreed that those applications should be heard by the court on 30 May next.
In reply, John Gordon SC for the plaintiff said that an extremely serious matter had arisen.
Mr McGregor, he said, is attempting to have the hearing of proceedings initiated in 2021 adjourned to a date in November.
The adjournment had been sought in open correspondence from Mr McGregor’s lawyers, counsel said.
He said the defendant has asked for the proposed June trial date to be put back “with the excuse” that it conflicted with “a boxing match” in the United States he is involved in.
In addition to the pretrial motions, Mr McGregor was further complicating matters.
Counsel said that by seeking to adjourn the case Mr McGregor was “playing ducks and drakes with the court”.
Counsel said that his client wants the case to get on as soon as possible, adding that the defendant had already been indulged and had been granted a previous adjournment by the court.
Counsel asked the court to rule that the case go ahead as scheduled during the next High Court civil jury sessions in late June.
Mr Justice Owens said that he was not prepared to make such an order, at this stage.
The Judge said that he first wanted to see what happens in relation to the pretrial discovery motions listed for hearing on 30 May.
The judge noted that Mr McGregor’s side will likely be seeking an adjournment of the June hearing date when the case is next mentioned before the court.
Any application for an adjournment could be dealt with on that date.
The judge, who encouraged the various parties to engage with each other on the pre-trial applications, added that he was of the view that the defendant seeking the discovery of materials was something that should have been done “years and years ago” and they were “the authors of their own misfortune” in this regard.
The case is one of two initiated against the sportsman over events alleged to have taken place in 2018.
The plaintiff has also sued an associate of Mr McGregor.
Her action was filed in the High Court three years ago, however no details of her claim have been aired in open court.
A second personal injuries action, also against Mr McGregor, has been taken by the woman’s mother.
That case is not due to be heard before a jury.
The allegations in both of those actions are fully denied.
