Kieran Hayler Trial: Katie Price's Ex-Husband Allegedly Told 13-Year-Old Accuser to Stay Silent, Court Hears

Kieran Hayler, the former husband of media personality Katie Price, repeatedly instructed a 13-year-old girl to keep quiet about alleged sexual encounters and warned that he could "get in trouble" if she spoke out, a jury at Lewes Crown Court has been told. Hayler, 39, is standing trial accused of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against the teenager, all of which he firmly denies.

The prosecution's case centres on events said to have occurred in West Sussex in 2016, when Hayler was still married to Price. The court heard that the complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, first came forward in 2021 after contacting the NSPCC, which then referred her to Sussex Police. That referral triggered an investigation that ultimately led to the charges now being heard by the jury.

According to evidence presented during the trial, the first alleged rape took place after Hayler told the 13-year-old that he liked her and began discussing the prospect of having sex with her. Jurors were told that he described the act as a "special thing" and suggested they should go through with it before the alleged assault occurred. The court was played a recording of the complainant's police interview, in which she recounted how Hayler had emphasised the significance of the first time.

In her interview, the complainant described Hayler becoming emotional during the encounter, saying he had started crying and told her that he should perhaps not "take it away" from her because it was "so important." She also told officers that she did not have any form of conversation with him afterwards and remembered thinking that she was "probably a bit young" at the time. That detail is likely to be central to the prosecution's argument that the complainant was a child who could not lawfully consent.

The court heard that a second alleged rape occurred around two or three weeks after the first. The complainant said she remembered waking up to find Hayler present, and that afterwards he behaved as though nothing had happened. The prosecution alleges that the pattern of conduct reflected a deliberate attempt to normalise the abuse and prevent the teenager from recognising it as wrongdoing, a claim the defence is expected to challenge during cross-examination.

A third alleged incident is said to have involved Hayler warning the girl that she could not discuss what had happened with anyone. According to the complainant, he told her she must not speak about it and that he might "get in trouble" if she did. The court heard that during this encounter, he allegedly grabbed her hand and placed it down his trousers, forming the basis of the sexual assault charge he faces.

Speaking to police about the aftermath of that alleged incident, the complainant said she had come to understand that what was happening "wasn't quite right." She described being told repeatedly to be quiet and to keep everything secretive. She also told officers that she had tried to forget the events for many years, a statement that underscores the long delay between the alleged offences and the eventual court proceedings.

The complainant's decision to contact the NSPCC in 2021 proved pivotal. Following that referral, police launched an investigation, and Hayler was first interviewed by detectives in January 2022. During that interview, he denied that any of the alleged incidents took place and denied that anything sexual had occurred with the complainant. His defence maintains that the allegations are untrue, and his legal team has indicated that the trial will examine the reliability of the complainant's account.

Hayler was married to Katie Price at the time of the alleged incidents in 2016. The couple's relationship broke down in 2018, and they finalised their divorce in 2021. The court heard that Hayler has suggested his ex-wife "launched a campaign" against him after their marriage ended, and that the allegations form part of that broader dispute. The defence appears to be pursuing a theory that the accusations may have been influenced by the acrimonious collapse of the marriage, a claim the prosecution disputes.

The complainant is not a member of either Hayler's or Price's extended families, a fact that the court has heard as part of the background to the case. Price herself is expected to give evidence as a witness during the trial, which is anticipated to last approximately one week. Her testimony could be significant, as it may address the timeline of the allegations and the circumstances surrounding the end of the marriage, although the court has not yet heard her account in full.

Legal analysts note that historic sexual offence cases, particularly those involving child complainants, often hinge on the jury's assessment of credibility and the passage of time. Delayed reporting is common in such cases, and English law allows prosecutions to proceed years after the alleged conduct, provided there is sufficient evidence. The trial will require jurors to weigh the complainant's police interview, given as a contemporaneous record of her allegations, against Hayler's continued denials.

The case also highlights the role of third-party referrals such as those made to the NSPCC, which can lead to police investigations even when a complainant has not approached authorities directly. Charities working with survivors say that the decision to report can take years, particularly when the alleged abuser was known to the complainant or held a position of trust or influence. In this case, the prosecution alleges the conduct occurred when the complainant was a young teenager.

Hayler, who arrived at Lewes Crown Court wearing a dark suit and pink shirt and carrying a rucksack, has consistently rejected the allegations. The trial continues, with further evidence expected to be heard in the coming days. The jury will ultimately decide whether the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, the standard required for a conviction in a criminal trial in England and Wales.

The court has not yet reached a verdict, and Hayler remains innocent unless and until he is convicted. Both the prosecution and defence are expected to present additional witnesses and evidence, and the judge will provide directions to the jury on the law before deliberations begin. The outcome will depend on the jury's careful assessment of the testimony and the exhibits presented during what is expected to be a relatively short but legally complex trial.

As proceedings continue at Lewes Crown Court, the case serves as a reminder of the importance of the presumption of innocence and the rigorous scrutiny applied to serious criminal allegations. The court will hear from a range of witnesses, including potentially Price, before the jury is asked to determine Hayler's guilt or innocence on each of the four counts he faces.