Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins, from Ballyfermot, had been arrested and held at Garda stations in the Dublin area this week
Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins, from Ballyfermot, had been arrested and held at Garda stations in the Dublin area this week.
The couple who had previously lived across the street from Nikita Hand had provided sworn affidavits in the ex-UFC star’s bid to overturn a civil jury’s ruling that he raped the hairdresser in a Dublin hotel in 2018.
They were to give new evidence at the mixed martial arts fighter’s appeal hearing last month but their evidence was dramatically withdrawn on the morning they were due to testify.
Samantha O’Reilly and Steven Cummins approached by Sunday World in May
News in 90 Seconds – Saturday, September 13
A Garda spokesperson confirmed they had arrested a male and a female, aged in their 30s, in connection with an ongoing Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) investigation
It has been reported that Samantha O’Reilly had been held for 12 hours following her arrest along with her partner Steven Cummins, who was brought to a separate station and also later released.
Gardaí launched a criminal investigation into allegations of perjury against the couple who were to be star witnesses in McGregor’s failed appeal
The couple’s sworn statements were referred by the Court of Appeal to the Director of Public Prosecutions, after Ms Hand’s legal team raised concerns about perjury, and the “subornation of perjury” by McGregor.
Lodging a false affidavit is an offence under the Perjury Act 2021.
Anyone who makes a sworn statement that is false, and knows it to be false, is committing an act of perjury, an offence that carries a minimum penalty of €4,000 and 12 months in prison, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a €100,000 fine.
The garda investigation into affidavits sworn by Ms O’Reilly, a carer, and Mr Cummins, a plumber, is a serious escalation in a protracted legal battle.
Ms Hand, a mother-of-one, successfully sued former UFC champion McGregor in the High Court.
She accused McGregor of raping her in the penthouse of the Beacon Hotel in Dublin on December 9, 2018.
McGregor (36) denied rape, claiming they had consensual “vigorous” sex.
A civil jury found that he had assaulted Ms Hand and awarded her €248,603 in damages and €1.3m in legal costs. McGregor immediately launched an appeal.
The Court of Appeal heard how Ms O’Reilly and Mr Cummins came forward after seeing reports on TV about the trial.
They claimed they were living across the street from Ms Hand and had seen her in a row with her then partner on the night of the alleged rape by McGregor.
The couple swore statements for McGregor’s legal team, alleging that Ms Hand was assaulted by her then partner, Stephen Redmond, hours after she was allegedly raped by McGregor at the Beacon.
Ms O’Reilly claimed she witnessed a “heated row” from an upstairs bedroom room window of her home. Ms Hand was on the ground, she claimed, and Mr Redmond was moving his limbs as though he was punching and kicking her.
Their evidence had the potential to undermine Ms Hand’s claim that her injuries were caused by McGregor.
Ms Hand insisted the couple’s claims were lies. The couple have denied they told mistruths.
The couple were due to be cross-examined by Ms Hand’s legal team, after which the three judges of the Court of Appeal would decide whether their evidence was admissible.
They were unexpectedly stood down as witnesses on the morning they were due to testify.
Ms Hand’s senior counsel John Gordon raised concerns about perjury and the “subornation of perjury” against McGregor. He provided the documents he intended to use in his cross-examination of Ms O’Reilly and Mr Cummins to the judges of the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal judges decided to refer the papers to the DPP.
The documents include the affidavits both witnesses swore for the appeal, as well as the new material that Ms Hand’s legal team intended to put to Ms O’Reilly and Mr Cummins during their cross-examination, had both not pulled out.
McGregor’s appeal continued without the couple and was ultimately dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
Approached by the Sunday World at their home in Ballyfermot for comment in May of this year, Steven Cummins said: “I won’t comment.”
Ms O’Reilly then emerged from the couple’s home and asked: “Why can you come to my house? Can you mind just leaving?
“No, I don’t want to talk and I don’t ever want to talk. Leave the house, thank you!
“No comment and you won’t be coming back onto this road again.”