Court hears Katie Price offered alleged victim protection over Hayler accusations
Kieran Hayler, aged 39, is on trial at Lewes Crown Court on three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a teenager in West Sussex in 2016. The court heard messages from his ex-wife Katie Price to the alleged victim in May 2017 in which Price promised to make the girl "a little star" whilst claiming she would protect her and keep the allegations confidential. The trial examines serious allegations involving high-profile figures and the complexities of witness testimony in historical abuse cases.
The alleged victim, now aged 23 and 13 at the time of the alleged offences, is undergoing cross-examination about inconsistencies between her accounts to police and the NSPCC children's charity. Hayler's defence team is questioning her testimony regarding deleted text messages and contradictions in her statements, whilst suggesting his ex-wife Price launched a campaign against him following their relationship breakdown in 2018. Hayler was married to Price at the time of the alleged incidents; the couple divorced in 2021. Hayler denies all charges and the trial continues.
- Kieran Hayler faces trial for three rape and one sexual assault charges from 2016.
- Katie Price messaged the alleged victim saying she would make her a little star.
- Defence questioning reveals contradictions in the complainant's accounts to police and charities.
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Kieran Hayler is on trial at Lewes Crown Court on charges of rape and sexual assault. The alleged victim was thirteen years old at the time of the incidents in West Sussex in 2016 and is now 23.
Hayler was married to Katie Price, a television personality and media figure, when the alleged offences took place. Their relationship ended in 2018 and they divorced in 2021.
Historical abuse cases, where allegations relate to events many years in the past, often present particular challenges for courts. Questions of memory, evidence preservation and witness credibility can become more complex as time passes.
Both sides, in good faith
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The case for
Historical abuse allegations involving a minor deserve serious consideration and rigorous examination. Trauma often produces fragmented, inconsistent memories that can be recalled differently over time and in different contexts; inconsistencies in a thirteen-year-old's accounts years later do not necessarily indicate dishonesty. Katie Price's initial intervention could reflect genuine concern for a vulnerable young person, and the victim's difficulty recounting events is consistent with how child abuse survivors often present in interviews.
The case against
The defence raises legitimate questions through demonstrated inconsistencies between accounts given to police and the NSPCC, and the deletion of text messages creates significant evidentiary gaps. Katie Price's involvement following her relationship breakdown with Hayler warrants scrutiny of her motivations, particularly her promises to make the girl a little star which may suggest an agenda rather than disinterested advocacy. Rigorous cross-examination of inconsistent testimony, however difficult, is essential to ensuring that serious accusations are properly tested before conviction.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Katie Price told teenage girl who accused her ex-husband Kieran Hayler of rape ‘I’ll make you a little star’, court hears”.