Katie Price’s former husband, Kieran Hayler, has told a court he discovered the aftermath of a drink and drugs binge at her Sussex property, known as the “Mucky Mansion”, after their relationship ended.
Jurors at Lewes Crown Court heard that Hayler found cocaine and empty alcohol bottles scattered throughout the house before leaving in 2018.
Hayler, 39, is standing trial accused of three rapes and one sexual assault involving a 13-year-old schoolgirl in 2016. He denies all the allegations.
Giving evidence, he described the family home as chaotic and said he continued living there for two months after the couple separated.
Hayler told the court: “I was coming down in the morning to carnage. There were drugs on the side. Cocaine on the worktops.
“There were drugs everywhere and alcohol. The house was in an absolute state.”
Defence barrister Arlette Piercy asked Hayler whether he believed Price had developed a vendetta against him after their split.
He replied: “It wasn’t amicable.”
Katie Price arrives at Lewes Crown Court in East Sussex on October 14
Kieran Hayler, pictured outside court on October 14, denies the rape and sexual assault charges
He added: “I’d never had any contact with police.”
Hayler denies three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault allegedly committed against a teenager in West Sussex in 2016.
Price, 48, was cross-examined earlier this week. She told the court she had not followed media coverage of the trial because she had been “handcuffed to Suella Braverman all week” while appearing on a Channel 4 programme.
Earlier in the proceedings, jurors heard that Hayler believes his former wife is behind an attempt to frame him.
The alleged victim contacted the NSPCC in 2021. The charity then referred her to police, leading to an investigation.
Police first interviewed Hayler in January 2022. He denied the allegations and said no sexual activity had taken place.
When she gave evidence last Tuesday, the complainant told jurors that Hayler sent her a message after the third alleged rape reading, “I love you goodnight.” She said she replied: “I love you too.”
At the opening of the trial last Monday, jurors heard that Hayler’s case would be that Price invented the allegations as part of a campaign against him.
Hayler and Katie Price attend a London film premiere together in November 2015
Hayler maintains that the allegations were “created” and that he was being “set up” following the collapse of their marriage.
The alleged victim’s mother last week told jurors her daughter liked the way Mr Hayler talked to her, saying: ‘She said he told her he didn’t have any friends and she could be his best friend. She liked the way he spoke to her.’
Asked why she did not tell anybody else about the rape allegations until after Ms Price contacted social services in 2018, the mother said: ‘I had to keep her secret and her trust.
‘I couldn’t tell my husband because I knew what the consequences would be. I didn’t want any of this for her.’
The mother has denied she was influenced by Katie Price to come to court and said her daughter was not interested in becoming a celebrity.
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In a text message exchange between Ms Price and the girl, the jury heard Ms Price offered to make her a ‘little star’.
Asked on Tuesday in cross-examination by Ms Piercy about use of the phrase ‘little star,’ Ms Price said: ‘That’s a figure of speech.’
Ms Piercy then asked: ‘When you use that figure of speech, what did you mean?’
Ms Price replied: ‘I don’t know, when she was 13 there’s no agenda or nothing behind it. It’s just a figure of speech.’
The messages had been read out to the alleged victim’s mother during her second day in the witness box last week, when Ms Piercy asked the mother if she was aware of the messages.
The witness replied: ‘My daughter wasn’t interested in becoming a star.’
Ms Piercy challenged the mother on what she knew about the allegations and when, asking: ‘You didn’t believe anything had happened, did you, and you didn’t do anything about it did you?’
The mother replied: ‘Yes, I did. I believed my daughter.’
Messages sent in May 2017 between the alleged victim and Ms Price were last week read to the jury, in which Price asked her about rumours regarding Hayler.
The complainant said she did not remember the exchange, but the court was told Price asked her whether Mr Hayler fancied her and if he tried to kiss her.
In one message, Price wrote: ‘I won’t say anything and I promise I’ll protect you. I’m only asking as this is a serious allegation to say.’
The girl, then aged 14, replied: ‘It was just a flirt thing and he knew it was wrong. Nothing happened.’
Price replied: ‘I won’t bring up any more, just want truth. I will make you a little star.’
Former reality TV star Hayler met Ms Price in 2012 and proposed on Christmas Day.
They married at a luxury Caribbean resort the following year but separated in 2018 and divorced three years later.
In a previous statement, Sussex Police said: ‘We can confirm Kieran Hayler, of Northchapel, West Sussex, has been charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.
‘The offences are alleged to have occurred at an address in West Sussex between June 1 and October 13, 2016.
‘The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has received support from specially trained officers as our enquiries continue.’
A spokesman for Hayler has previously said: ‘Kieran Hayler strongly denies the allegations made against him in their entirety.
‘Mr Hayler is fully engaged and has been co-operating with the police throughout the investigation and will continue to do so.
‘He looks forward to his name being cleared, believing in the judicial system to do so.’
The alleged victim is not part of Hayler or Ms Price’s extended families.
Hayler denies rape and sexual assault. The trial at Lewes Crown Court continues.