Katie Price has told a jury she believed a teenage girl at the centre of a rape trial involving her former husband Kieran Hayler was “afraid” when she became aware of the allegations.
The television personality gave evidence from behind a screen at Lewes Crown Court on Monday as Mr Hayler, 39, stood trial accused of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl in West Sussex in 2016.
Mr Hayler denies all charges.
Katie Price’s evidence
Ms Price told jurors she was “really shocked” when she learned of the allegations, describing them as involving a child.
She said: “I was shocked… like really shocked. It was a different kettle of fish, it’s a child.”
The court heard that Ms Price confronted Mr Hayler, who was her husband at the time, and questioned him about whether he had engaged in inappropriate behaviour with the teenager.
She told the court she could not remember his exact response but said his answer was always that he had not done anything.
Ms Price also discussed messages she had exchanged with the complainant, telling the court the allegations involved claims that Mr Hayler had tried to kiss the girl and had told her he loved her.
Asked about her impression of the teenager, Ms Price said: “I could tell that she was, like, afraid.”
She told the court she had wanted to find out more information because “it’s serious”, but said she did not speak to the complainant face-to-face.
Ms Price said she did not encourage the girl to go to police at the time because she was dealing with her own difficulties and had later received treatment at the Priory.
Defence case
Mr Hayler denies the allegations and the court has previously heard that his defence suggests Ms Price “launched a campaign” against him following the breakdown of their marriage.
The couple were married at the time of the alleged offences. Their relationship ended in 2018 and they divorced in 2021.
The complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is not related to either Mr Hayler or Ms Price.
Earlier messages shown to jury
Jurors were shown messages between Ms Price and the complainant from 2017, months after the alleged offences were said to have taken place.
In one message, Ms Price told the teenager: “I will make you a little star.”
The court heard the complainant later became concerned that private conversations could be shared with Mr Hayler and blocked Ms Price on Instagram after briefly communicating with her.
The court was also told that Ms Price raised concerns with social services in 2018 that Mr Hayler had allegedly groomed and sexually abused the teenager.
Those were concerns raised by Ms Price and are not findings that have been proven in court.
Evidence from complainant and her mother
The complainant’s mother previously gave evidence, telling the court she felt Ms Price appeared angry when told about the allegations and that her reaction seemed focused more on Mr Hayler than her daughter.
That was her interpretation of events.
The court also heard that the complainant told her mother about the allegations around a year after they were said to have happened.
In a recorded police interview played to jurors, the complainant alleged that Mr Hayler told her to keep the encounters secret and encouraged her to delete messages.
She also alleged he told her to take the secret “to her grave”.
These allegations are denied by Mr Hayler.
Trial continues
The complainant contacted the NSPCC in 2021 when she was around 18, and the allegations were referred to police.
Mr Hayler was interviewed by officers in January 2022 and denied any sexual activity with the complainant.
He entered not guilty pleas at Lewes Crown Court in December 2025 and remains on bail with conditions preventing contact with the complainant.
The trial is ongoing and no verdict has been reached.
