Katie Price Sent "I Will Make You a Little Star" Message to Teen Who Accused Ex-Husband Kieran Hayler of Rape, Court Hears

Katie Price sent a message to a teenage girl who had accused her then-husband of rape, telling her "I will make you a little star," a court has heard. The message was among a series of exchanges shown to jurors at Lewes Crown Court, where Price's former partner Kieran Hayler is standing trial.

Hayler, 38, faces three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The allegations relate to a girl who was 13 years old at the time of the alleged offences in 2016 in West Sussex. He denies every charge against him.

The court was told that the messages between Price and the complainant were exchanged when the girl was 14. In them, Price said she had been informed that Hayler and the teenager had kissed and that he had "tried it on" with her. Price described the matter as "a serious allegation" and pressed the girl for answers.

"I'm only asking as this is a serious allegation," Price wrote, according to the messages read out in court. The girl responded by characterising the incident as "just a flirt thing" and insisted that "nothing happened."

During the exchange, Price also asked directly: "Did he kiss you? I won't bring up anymore just want truth. I will make you a little star." She further inquired whether Hayler had ever expressed that he liked or fancied the girl, to which the complainant replied: "Yes, but I took it as a joke."

Under cross-examination, the complainant, who is now an adult, was asked why she had told Price that nothing had happened. She explained that she had been "trying to brush it off." When questioned about what she understood Price to mean by the phrase "I will make you a little star," the woman said she had not responded to the remark. "I don't think I said anything. I think I just ignored it," she told the court.

The trial also heard evidence about messages exchanged between the complainant and Hayler. Jurors were told that after the third alleged rape, Hayler sent her a text saying "I love you goodnight," to which she replied: "I love you too."

Arlette Piercy, defending Hayler, put it to the complainant that the alleged rapes and sexual assault had never taken place. The woman rejected that suggestion firmly, telling the jury: "I would never make it up."

The complainant admitted that she had deleted the "I love you" messages exchanged with Hayler. She said Hayler had instructed her to get rid of them. When questioned about the deletion, she confirmed: "Yes, I did. Kieran Hayler was asking to delete my messages."

Piercy told the court that it was not accepted on Hayler's behalf that such texts had ever been sent to the complainant. The woman responded that the messages were "deleted, long gone, years ago."

Hayler was married to Price at the time of the allegations. The couple's relationship broke down in 2018, and they finalised their divorce in 2021. The court heard that Hayler denies the charges and suggests his ex-wife had "launched a campaign" against him when their marriage ended, with the allegations forming part of that campaign.

The alleged victim is not a member of either Hayler's or Price's extended families, the court was told. The trial, presided over by a judge at Lewes Crown Court in East Sussex, continues.

The case has drawn significant public attention because of Price's high profile as a television personality and former model. Hayler, a former stripper and reality television figure, has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. The jury will ultimately decide whether the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Legal analysts note that cases of this nature often hinge on the credibility of the complainant and the interpretation of digital communications. Messages exchanged between parties can be used both to support and to challenge allegations, depending on context and the explanations offered by those involved. In this trial, the defence appears to be focusing on the suggestion that the allegations were fabricated as part of a broader dispute between Hayler and Price.

The prosecution's case rests on the complainant's testimony and the account she has given of events in 2016. The court has heard that she reported the allegations to authorities and has stood by her account despite intense cross-examination. Her statement that she "would never make it up" was a direct rejection of the defence's central theory.

The trial is expected to continue in the coming days, with further witnesses potentially called. Hayler remains on bail and has attended court accompanied by his legal team. The outcome will depend on whether the jury finds the complainant's evidence credible and whether the defence can successfully cast doubt on the prosecution's version of events.

Additional reporting on the case has been provided by PA Media. The BBC will continue to follow the proceedings as they develop at Lewes Crown Court.