Katie Price arrives at court to give evidence in trial of ex-husband Kieran Hayler who is accused of raping girl, 13
Katie Price has arrived at Lewes Crown Court to testify in the trial of her ex-husband Kieran Hayler, who is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl on three occasions in 2016 and sexually assaulting her. Hayler, 39, denies all charges. The defence contends that Price fabricated the allegations as part of a campaign against him following their marriage breakdown.
The alleged victim, now 23, has given evidence that after the third alleged rape, Hayler sent her a text saying "I love you goodnight" and she replied "I love you too." The victim's mother testified about keeping the allegations secret to maintain her daughter's trust and privacy, though the defence has questioned aspects of her account. The investigation began in 2021 when the victim contacted the NSPCC charity, which referred her to police.
- Model Katie Price arrived to testify in ex-husband's rape trial at Lewes Crown Court
- Hayler denies raping girl starting at age 13 in 2016; defence claims Price fabricated charges
- Victim reported 2016 assaults to NSPCC in 2021, prompting police investigation and charges
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Kieran Hayler, the ex-husband of television personality Katie Price, is on trial at Lewes Crown Court accused of raping a girl on three occasions and sexually assaulting her in 2016. The alleged victim was 13 years old at the time and is now 23. Hayler denies all the charges.
The incidents are alleged to have occurred in 2016, but the case was not reported to authorities until 2021, when the alleged victim contacted the NSPCC children's charity. The charity referred the matter to police, leading to charges being brought against Hayler following an investigation.
The prosecution alleges serious child sexual abuse, whilst the defence maintains that Hayler is innocent and that the allegations emerge from a dispute related to his separation from Katie Price. The trial is currently examining evidence to determine the truth of the competing accounts.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The victim came forward to the NSPCC and provided detailed testimony that Hayler raped her three times in 2016 when she was 13 years old. Her account was corroborated by her mother and deemed credible enough by authorities to warrant prosecution. The delay in reporting reflects patterns documented in childhood sexual abuse, where victims experience trauma bonding and fear coming forward. Her testimony and the supporting evidence form the prosecution's case against the defendant.
The case against
The defence denies all charges and argues the allegations are false, noting they emerged five years later and immediately following Price and Hayler's bitter, public marriage breakdown—which could provide motive for fabrication. The defence contends the victim's account, recalled years after the alleged events under such fraught circumstances, is inherently unreliable. The defence further argues that textual evidence and other aspects of the case are inconsistent with her narrative of abuse. The defence maintains that this raises reasonable doubt about the credibility of the allegations.