Katie Price’s ex Kieran Hayler ‘told girl, 13, he loved her after raping her for third time’

Kieran Hayler is currently on trial at Lewes Crown Court, where he denies three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault (Picture: Nick Edwards for http://www.dailymail.com) Katie Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler allegedly told a 13-year-old girl he ‘loved’ her after raping her for a third time, a court has heard. Hayler, 39, is currently on trial at Lewes Crown Court, charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons. He denies all charges and has pleaded not guilty. The alleged offences are said to have taken place in West Sussex between June and October 2016, while Hayler was married to Price, 48. Giving evidence on Wednesday, the complainant, who is now 23, denied making up the allegations as she was questioned by Hayler’s legal team. Hayler allegedly told the girl ‘I love you goodnight’ after the third alleged rape, the court heard (Picture: Nick Edwards for http://www.dailymail.com) The court heard that following the third alleged rape, Hayler sent her a text reading: ‘I love you goodnight.’ She replied: ‘I love you too.’ The woman became emotional while giving evidence and at one stage had to leave the courtroom to be sick. Jurors were also shown footage of a police interview from 2021 in which she could be seen crying as she described the alleged abuse. ‘I thought it was my fault for ages,’ she told officers. ‘I think I lied to my mum. I don’t think I told her it was sex. I think I told her he touched me. ‘I thought it was my fault that it happened, for ages. Because I kind of thought I should’ve done more about it. Katie Price and Kieran Hayler married in 2013 before separating in 2018 (Picture: Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage) ‘I kind of let him do it, so I blamed myself for ages.’ The court heard that Hayler allegedly told the girl not to tell anyone about what had happened and instructed her to ‘take it to the grave’. She said she was not ‘frightened’ of Hayler but believed speaking out ‘wouldn’t end well’ for her. ‘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 said. The woman contacted the NSPCC in December 2021, when she was 18, which prompted a police investigation. Explaining why she eventually came forward, she said she did not want to discover years later that Hayler had allegedly done the same thing to somebody else. Price is expected to be called as a witness during her ex-husband’s trial (Picture: Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) She recalled seeing something about him in the news which portrayed him as ‘lovely’, telling police: ‘I got this rage inside.’ ‘He’s ruined my relationships with other people, he’s ruined sex for me. I was so angry,’ she said. ‘I got on my phone and started emailing the NSPCC.’ The court previously heard that before the first alleged rape, Hayler told the schoolgirl he liked her and began talking to her about sex. He allegedly described sex as a ‘special thing’ and spoke about the importance of her first time. In her police interview, the woman said he presented it as a ‘good thing I needed to do’. She alleged Hayler then began crying and told her: ‘Maybe I shouldn’t take it away from you, it’s so important.’ Speaking in her police interview about the third alleged incident, she said: ‘I think by that point I knew it wasn’t quite right…’ She told police: ‘He kept telling me to “shh”, I had to be secretive and not tell anyone.’ Hayler allegedly warned her: ‘You can’t talk about it, you can’t tell anyone, I might get in trouble for this.’ Hayler claims the allegations were created as part of a ‘campaign’ against him by his ex-wife, which prosecutors dispute (Picture: Nick Edwards for http://www.dailymail.com) Jurors heard that the complainant had previously told her mother Hayler ‘did things to me’ and ‘pinned me down’. Prosecutor Ryan Richter said that when her mother asked what he had done, she replied: ‘Well, he did everything to me, mum.’ The woman also told police that Price contacted her on Instagram after she came forward. According to the complainant, Price wrote: ‘I know you are going through a tough time and I support you in everything.’ She said she thanked Price for her support but told her she could not discuss the matter. ‘I thought she would screenshot it and send it to Kieran, so I deleted it and blocked her,’ she told police. Hayler was interviewed by police in January 2022 and denied that any sexual activity with the girl had taken place. The court has heard that he claims the allegations were created as part of a ‘campaign’ against him by Price following the breakdown of their marriage. The alleged offences are said to have taken place in West Sussex in 2016 (Picture: Nick Edwards for http://www.dailymail.com) 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. Richter told jurors that the prosecution says there is ‘no connection’ between the allegations and the former couple’s acrimonious split. ‘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 said. The court heard Hayler believed something had been ‘created’ and that he was being ‘set up’. ‘Mr Hayler maintains that denial,’ Richter added. Price, who married Hayler in the Bahamas in 2013, is expected to give evidence during the trial. The former couple were married until 2021 and share two children. Hayler, a former stripper and actor, later became engaged to Michelle Penticost. The couple, who share a son, split in 2025. Deals of the Day Kurt Geiger's new Notting Hill collection is a love letter to London's chaotic weather I’ve found the Hoover gadget that could make cleaning your floors so much easier I tried L'Oréal Paris's new PDRN serum and my skin looked glossier after one use This new Cricut gadget turns your favourite photos into stickers in minutes From kitchen hatches to burgundy walls – the biggest home trends for 2027 The trial continues. 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