Katie Price's ex-husband, who is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl, told her to “not tell anyone” and said he might “get in trouble for this”, a court has heard.
Trial details
Kieran Hayler, 39, is on trial at Lewes Crown Court accused of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of the teenager in West Sussex in 2016.
Jurors were told that on the first alleged occasion Hayler went to the 13-year-old and told her he really liked her and began speaking to her about having sex. He told her it was a “special thing” and they should do it, before he raped her, the court heard.
Complainant's account
In the complainant's police interview played in court, she said he was describing it to her like a “good thing I needed to do” and how special the first time was and “it was important”. “He started crying and saying, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t take it away from you, it’s so important’,” she said.
He allegedly raped her again on two further occasions. Speaking after the alleged third incident, the complainant told police: “I think by that point I knew it wasn’t quite right, he kept telling me to ‘shh’, I had to be secretive and not tell anyone.” Of the third alleged occasion, she added: “He told me to ‘shh’ so I didn’t say anything.”
The court heard that Hayler told her she should not tell anyone, and that he then sexually assaulted her. She said he told her: “You can’t talk about it, you can’t tell anyone, I might get in trouble for this.” It is alleged he grabbed her hand and put it down his trousers.
Investigation and response
She told police: “I tried to forget it for so many years.” In 2021, the complainant contacted the NSPCC charity which referred her to the police, prompting the investigation. Hayler was first interviewed by police in January 2022 and denied any of the allegations took place and that anything sexual occurred.
He was married to media personality Ms Price at the time of the allegations, before the couple’s relationship broke down in 2018 and they divorced in 2021. He denies the charges and suggests his ex-wife had “launched a campaign” against him when their marriage ended, and the allegations form part of this, the court heard. The alleged victim is not part of Hayler or Ms Price’s extended families.
Ms Price is expected to be a witness in the trial which is expected to last around a week. The trial continues.
