Katie Price’s ex-husband told a 13-year-old girl who he is accused of raping to “not tell anyone”, a court has heard.
Kieran Hayler, 39, is on trial at Lewes Crown Court.
He is accused of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of the teenager in West Sussex in 2016.
On Monday, jurors were told that Hayler first raped the 13-year-old after telling her that sex was a “special thing” and they should do it.
He also told her that he really liked her, the jury heard.
In the complainant’s police interview, which was played in court, she said he was describing it to her like a “good thing I needed to do”.
She said: “He started crying and saying, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t take it away from you, it’s so important’.”
He allegedly raped her again on two further occasions.
Speaking after the alleged third incident, the complainant told police: “I think by that point I knew it wasn’t quite right, he kept telling me to ‘shh’, I had to be secretive and not tell anyone.”
She said he told her: “You can’t talk about it, you can’t tell anyone, I might get in trouble for this.”
She told police: “I tried to forget it for so many years.”
In 2021, the complainant contacted the children’s charity NSPCC, which referred her to the police, prompting the investigation.
Hayler was first interviewed by police in January 2022. He denied any of the allegations took place and that anything sexual occurred.
He was married to media personality Ms Price at the time of the allegations, before the couple’s relationship broke down in 2018 and they divorced in 2021.
He denies the charges and suggests his ex-wife had “launched a campaign” against him when their marriage ended, and the allegations form part of this, the court heard.
The alleged victim is not part of Hayler or Ms Price’s extended families.
Ms Price is expected to be a witness in the trial, which is expected to last around a week.
The trial continues.
If you are a child and you need help because something has happened to you, you can call Childline free of charge on 0800 1111. You can also call the NSPCC if you are an adult and you are worried about a child, on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331.
