Katie Price "did not really care" when a teenage girl told her of being allegedly raped by her ex-husband Kieran Hayler, a court heard.
The complainant, now 23 and whose name is protected for legal reasons, testified that Hayler raped her on three separate occasions when she was 13 years old. Hayler, who was married to Price between 2013 and 2021, denies the accusations as he stands trial at Lewes Crown Court in East Sussex. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, which are alleged to have occurred in 2016 at Price's former home.
Hayler has accused Price of fabricating the allegations to frame him as a paedophile. The jury heard that the complainant told her mother she lost her virginity after Hayler allegedly pinned her down and raped her.
The complainant's mother testified that she informed Price about the allegations nearly a year after her daughter confided in her. She stated that when she told Price her daughter had said Hayler had "done things to her," Price became angry. "I didn't feel she was upset for [my daughter]," the mother told jurors. "I felt she was being angry and revengeful for the situation she was in."
According to the mother's testimony, Price suggested that reporting the incident could get Hayler into trouble. The mother stated that she told Price, "She doesn't want me to tell anybody. We have to respect her wishes. She doesn't want anyone to know and we have to look after her." The mother added, "She didn't really care, to be honest. I didn't really feel she cared about my daughter."
She described her daughter bursting into tears when confronted about what happened. "She cried more and more," the mother recounted. "Then she said, 'He's done everything to me, mummy'." The daughter was too distressed to provide details, saying, "He did everything to me. What do you think? He did everything to me."
The complainant reported the alleged incidents to the NSPCC in 2021, who then referred her to the police. In her testimony, the complainant stated that Hayler texted her after the third alleged rape, saying, "I love you goodnight," to which she replied, "I love you too."
Hayler was first interviewed by police in January 2022, at which point he denied any of the allegations. His defense is expected to argue that the allegations were created by Price following the breakdown of their marriage.
Price, a mother of five, is expected to be called as a witness in the trial. His Honour Judge Mark Van Der Zwart identified Price as a media personality known to the jury.
Sussex Police confirmed that Hayler was charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a girl who was 13 at the time. The alleged offenses occurred between June 1 and October 13, 2016. A representative for Hayler has previously stated that he "strongly denies the allegations made against him in their entirety" and is cooperating with the police investigation.
The trial at Lewes Crown Court continues.
