Katie Price has arrived at court to testify in the trial of ex-husband Kieran Hayler, who is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl.
The 39-year-old, who was married to Price, 48, from 2013 to 2021, is charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexually assaulting the girl at an address in West Sussex.
It is alleged that the offences took place between June and October 2016 at his family home. The girl, now aged 23, reported them to children’s charity NSPCC when she was 18 in December 2021.
The charity referred the matter to the police, prompting the investigation.
She is not a member of Hayler or Price’s extended family.
The court has already heard how Hayler allegedly ‘pinned down’ the girl, who later told her mother that he ‘did things’ to her.
Hayler, who denies all charges, also previously said the allegations are part of a ‘campaign’ against him, with a prosecutor telling the court he believes Price ‘set him up’.
Ryan Richter said last week: ‘The prosecution asserts that there is no connection, and you should guard against being distracted by the troubled background that has played out between Mr Hayler and Ms Price as their relationship ended.
‘He felt that something had been “created”, and he was being set up.
‘Mr Hayler maintains that denial.’
Pictured outside Lewes Crown Court this morning, wearing a brown leather coat and sunglasses, Price maintained an emotionless expression as she arrived to give evidence.
It comes after her text messages to the alleged victim were revealed, with her asking whether she and Hayler kissed.
‘I WON’T say anything and I PROMISE I’ll protect you!’ Price wrote. ‘I’m only asking as this is a serious allegation to say.’
The girl replied: ‘It was just a flirt thing and he knew it was wrong. Nothing happened.’
Price then asked: ‘Was it just a flirt and what did he do to realise it was wrong? Did he try (to) kiss you?
‘I won’t bring (it) up anymore (I) just want (the) truth! I will make you a little star. Please help and tell me… as long as I know the truth, I won’t say. I PROMISE.’
The teenager responded: ‘I never wanted to have this conversation with you and this was over eight months ago… maybe longer. I’m really sorry.’
Price then asked whether Hayler seemed to ‘fancy’ her, to which she wrote, ‘Yes but I took it as a joke,’ adding: ‘Please don’t get angry at him because of me.’
Earlier court hearings told the jury that Hayler allegedly begged the girl not to tell anyone about what happened and to ‘take it to the grave’.
‘I didn’t think he’d ever hurt me, but if I ever said anything, he would say I was lying or making it up and make me look a lot worse, so I never wanted to say anything,’ she shared.
She thought it ‘wouldn’t end well for [her]’ if she spoke out, having said to officers in her original police interview: ‘I thought it was my fault for ages.’
Jurors further heard that Hayler allegedly told the girl sex was a ‘special thing’ and that they should do it.
Hayler is said to have told the schoolgirl that he really liked her and allegedly sobbed before he abused her.
‘He started crying and saying, “Maybe I shouldn’t take it away from you; it’s so important”,’ she recalled.
Hayler is accused of raping the child on two further occasions.
Speaking after the alleged third incident, the girl 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.’
Jurors were told that he said to her: ‘You can’t talk about it. You can’t tell anyone. I might get in trouble for this.’
The reality TV personality then allegedly put his hand down her trousers and assaulted her.
Hayler was first interviewed by police in January 2022, at which time he denied that anything sexual happened.
While he and Price split in 2018, their divorce took three years to finalise.
Hayler was the I’m A Celebrity star’s third husband, following her marriages to Peter Andre and Alex Reid.
She and Hayler wed at a luxury Bahamas resort merely five weeks after their first in-person meeting. He would appear in her 2018 fly-on-the-wall series My Crazy Life.
The trial continues.
What to do if you’ve been raped
If you have been the victim of rape, either recently or historically, and are looking for help, support is out there.
- If you have recently been raped and you are still at risk, ring 999 and ask for the police. Otherwise, the first step is to go somewhere you are safe.
- If you want to report your rape to the police, ring 999 or the police non-emergency line on 101. An Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) will often be on hand to help you through reporting and even after you have made a statement, you can still decide to withdraw from the criminal justice process at any time.
- If you plan on going to the police, if possible, do not wash your clothes or shower, bathe or brush your teeth. If you do get changed, keep the clothes you were wearing in a plastic bag. These steps will help to preserve any DNA evidence your attacker may have left on your body or clothes.
- If you don’t want to contact the police, Rape Crisis suggest talking to someone you trust about what has happened; or you can ring one of the UK’s many rape and sexual assault helplines.
- Anyone aged 16+ can contact Rape Crisis’s 24/7 Support Line by calling 0808 500 2222 or starting an online chat.
- If you have been injured, you’re best advised to go to your nearest A&E to seek medical treatment. If you are uninjured, you can go to your nearest Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). The NHS has information on where to find your nearest centre here.
- If your rape is historic, you can still access support, including from the police – there is no time limit on reporting and your account can still be used as evidence.
Read more here.