Kieran Hayler rape trial: victim's mother says Katie Price seemed 'angry'

The mother of the alleged victim testified that Katie Price appeared "angry" and uncaring when told of the rape claims against her then-husband Kieran Hayler.

Mother of alleged rape victim describes Price's reaction in Hayler trial

The mother of a teenage girl allegedly raped by Kieran Hayler told Lewes Crown Court that Katie Price appeared "angry" and indifferent when informed of the accusations against her then-husband, bbc.co.uk reports.

Hayler, Price's former husband, is standing trial accused of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against the girl, who was 13 at the time of the alleged offences in West Sussex in 2016. He denies all charges.

Giving evidence on Thursday, the complainant's mother said that when she disclosed the allegations to Price, "she was quite angry and I didn't feel she was particularly upset for [the complainant]." She added: "I didn't feel she cared about my daughter."

The court heard the teenager had waited a year before telling her mother what had happened, saying Hayler had "done everything to her." The mother said she was "shocked" by the disclosure and attempted to ask her daughter for more details, but the girl replied: "I can't tell you any more." When asked whether she pressed further, the mother said: "I didn't because she was so distressed."

She told the court she informed Price because she felt she "had to." Describing Price's reaction, she said: "She was shocked and probably swore. I feel she was just angry and feeling revengeful towards Kieran."

Despite that, the alleged victim's mother said her daughter had not wanted anyone to know, and they were obliged to "respect her wishes." The disclosure to Price subsequently caused a rift between mother and daughter. "She probably didn't want anyone to ever know and yes it did cause arguments," the mother said.

The court also heard that the complainant's behaviour changed markedly in the period following the alleged assaults. Her mother said she became more "withdrawn" and began showering around four times a day, scrubbing her skin. When asked why, the girl told her mother: "I just feel dirty all the time."

The complainant contacted the NSPCC in 2021, which referred her to the police, triggering the formal investigation. Her mother told the court that even at that point her daughter "still hadn't told me exactly what had happened." After the matter was reported, the two discussed it more openly. The mother recounted her daughter's words: "She said it made her feel sick and dirty thinking about it whenever she thought about what had happened. At the time she thought it was normal but looking back on it she realised it wasn't because of her age and then she just felt dirty."

The court has previously heard that Hayler suggested Price "launched a campaign" against him following the breakdown of their marriage, and that the allegations formed part of that campaign. Hayler and Price married at the time of the alleged offences; their relationship broke down in 2018 and the couple divorced in 2021. The alleged victim is not related to either Hayler or Price's extended families.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)