Ex-husband of Katie Price told teen to 'take rape allegations to the grave,' trial hears

Kieran Hayler, the former husband of Katie Price, allegedly told a teenager she should "take it to the grave" after sexually assaulting her, a court has heard. Hayler, 39, is currently on trial at Lewes Crown Court, where he faces three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The alleged offenses occurred in West Sussex in 2016, and Hayler has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The complainant, who was 13 at the time of the alleged incidents, described in a police interview played to the jury how she initially lied to her mother about what happened. She admitted she "didn't want her to think I was disgusting" and believed it was her fault for a period. She told her mother that Hayler had touched her but did not disclose the sexual nature of the encounters, fearing she had "led him on."

According to the complainant, Hayler contacted her two to three years after the alleged offenses. She testified that he said something to the effect of, "you promise you won't tell anyone? What we had was special - you better take it to the grave," and suggested it might cause her trouble. She recalled him implying it could end badly for her, though she stated she did not feel frightened at the time.

Following the alleged assaults, the complainant told police she initially thought Hayler "really cares about me so he's not doing something horrible" because of how he described the events as "a good thing." She also mentioned showering multiple times a day and frequently changing her underwear, a behavior her mother observed. The complainant recalled questioning if Hayler, being significantly older, should have been engaging in such activities and remembers crying and wondering if it should have been happening.

During her in-person testimony in court, delivered from behind a screen, the complainant stated that in relation to the third incident, Hayler had messaged her saying, "I love you, goodnight," to which she replied, "I love you too."

The investigation was prompted in 2021 when the complainant contacted the NSPCC, who then referred the matter to the police. Hayler was first interviewed in January 2022, at which point he denied all allegations and stated that nothing sexual had occurred.

At the time of the alleged incidents, Hayler was married to media personality Katie Price. Their relationship ended in 2018, and they divorced in 2021. The court heard that Hayler suggested his ex-wife had initiated a "campaign" against him after their marriage breakdown, and that the current allegations were part of this.

The complainant is not related to Hayler or Price's extended families. Katie Price is expected to appear as a witness during the trial, which is anticipated to last approximately one week. The trial is ongoing.