Conor McGregor assault charge: UFC star pictured in handcuffs leaving police station after arrest

The UFC superstar is being transported to Brooklyn Criminal Court having been charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief

Conor McGregor has been pictured for the first time since surrendering to New York City Police after his violent backstage altercation at a UFC 223 press event on Thursday night.

The Irishman was seen leaving the 78th precinct NYPD police station in Brooklyn in handcuffs. He turned himself into police late yesterday evening.

McGregor is facing criminal charges in the wake of a violent altercation he allegedly instigated, which injured two fighters and scuppered three fights ahead of UFC 223, the promotion’s biggest event of the year.

Video footage appears to show McGregor throwing a hand truck at a bus full of fighters after a Thursday news conference at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

The New York Police Department later confirmed that McGregor was charged after handing himself in. He now faces three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief, and will appear at Brooklyn Criminal Court later this afternoon.

UFC President Dana White said Friday he spoke to McGregor via text and the brawler said the confrontation was something that “had to be done.”

“It was probably the worst conversation we ever had,” White told FS1's "First Things First" on Friday morning. “We talked yesterday before he turned himself in.

“It's not that I don't think he understood what happened. He justified it. It was justified to him.”

Conor McGregor walks out of the 78th police precinct (Reuters)

The Irishman faces four criminal charges (AP)

The UFC also released a statement promising further punishment, saying: “The organization deems today's disruption completely unacceptable and is currently working on the consequences that will follow.

“Individuals involved in the incident are not welcome at tomorrow's ceremonial weigh-in or Saturday's event at Barclays Center.”