Ex‑husband of Katie Price on trial for alleged rape of 13‑year‑old

A court in Lewes heard that Kieran Hayler, 39, sent a text saying “I love you goodnight” to a girl he is accused of raping when she was 13.

Hayler is on trial at Lewes Crown Court on three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to incidents in West Sussex in 2016. The complainant, now an adult, testified that after the third alleged rape he texted her the affectionate message, to which she replied “I love you too”.

Police interview footage shown to the jury revealed the girl’s statements that the abuse did not initially change her perception of Hayler, that she took multiple showers a day and changed underwear frequently, and that she felt conflicted about the relationship.

She recounted that Hayler called her, urging secrecy and describing their encounters as “special”. She said she did not report the abuse earlier because she feared disbelief and wanted to prevent further offences.

The complainant also disclosed receiving a supportive message from media personality Katie Price, who said she “knows you’re going through a tough time”. Hayler, who was married to Price at the time of the alleged offences, denies the charges and claims the allegations are part of a campaign by his ex‑wife following their 2018 separation and 2021 divorce.

During cross‑examination, defence counsel questioned the level of detail in the complainant’s account, which she reaffirmed, stating she was indeed 13 at the time of the first alleged rape.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Phil Evenden / Pexels.