Katie Price Arrives at Court for Ex-Husband Kieran Hayler's Rape Trial

Katie Price has arrived at Lewes Crown Court to give evidence in the trial of her ex-husband, Kieran Hayler. Hayler, 39, is accused of raping a girl, who was 13 at the time and is now 23, on three separate occasions and of sexually assaulting her in 2016. He denies all charges.

Price, 48, is expected to take the witness stand on Monday afternoon. The jury heard earlier in the trial that Hayler believes his former wife has fabricated the allegations as part of a campaign against him.

The investigation began in 2021 when the complainant contacted the NSPCC, which subsequently referred the case to the police. Hayler was first interviewed in January 2022, at which point he denied any of the allegations and stated that no sexual activity had occurred.

During her testimony, the complainant told the court that Hayler texted her after the third alleged rape, saying, "I love you goodnight," to which she replied, "I love you too." The jury was also informed at the opening of the trial that Hayler intends to claim that Price made up the allegations following the breakdown of their marriage.

The alleged victim's mother testified that her daughter liked the way Hayler spoke to her, stating, "She said he told her he didn't have any friends and she could be his best friend. She liked the way he spoke to her." When questioned about the delay in reporting the alleged rapes until after Price contacted social services in 2018, the mother explained, "I had to keep her secret and her trust. I couldn't tell my husband because I knew what the consequences would be. I didn't want any of this for her." She denied being influenced by Price to testify and asserted that her daughter had no interest in becoming a celebrity. Text messages presented to the court showed Price offering the girl an opportunity to become a "little star."

Hayler, a former stripper and reality TV personality, met Price in 2012 and they married the following year. Sussex Police confirmed in a previous statement that Hayler was charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the alleged offenses occurring in West Sussex between June 1 and October 13, 2016. The girl cannot be named for legal reasons and has received support from specially trained officers.

A representative for Hayler previously stated that he strongly denies all allegations and is cooperating fully with the police investigation, expressing confidence that his name will be cleared by the judicial system. The alleged victim is not related to either Hayler or Price.

The trial at Lewes Crown Court is ongoing.