Katie Price Expressed Fear That Ex-Husband Kieran Hayler Groomed Teenager, Court Told

Former glamour model Katie Price told social services she feared her then-husband Kieran Hayler had groomed and sexually abused a teenage girl, a court has heard. Hayler is on trial at Lewes Crown Court, facing three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving a girl who was 13 at the time of the alleged offences between June and October 2016. He denies all charges.

Court Testimony

The complainant's mother told the court that Price appeared angry when told about the allegations and did not seem concerned about her daughter. The mother recalled that Price swore and stated she felt Price was angry and revengeful toward Hayler. The mother also stated that disclosing the allegations strained her relationship with her daughter, who did not want anyone to know. The girl had first told her mother about the abuse a year after it happened, saying Hayler had done everything to her before stopping further questions because she was distressed. The mother noted changes in her daughter's behaviour, including becoming withdrawn and showering up to four times a day while scrubbing her skin because she felt dirty all the time.

Investigation And Defence

The complainant contacted the NSPCC in 2021, which referred her to the police and started an investigation. Hayler's defence has suggested that Price launched a campaign against him after their separation and that the claims formed part of it. The couple broke up in 2018 and divorced in 2021, and the complainant is not part of either family's extended circle. The trial continues.

Context

Court trials involving serious criminal charges rely on testimony from witnesses and complainants to establish the facts before a judge or jury. Defence teams examine witness motives and past relationships as part of testing the evidence presented in court. Legal proceedings of this nature follow strict rules of evidence to ensure a fair trial for all parties involved.