Kieran Hayler has been found not guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl as he reportedly sobbed in court.
BBC reports that jurors at Lewes Crown Court reached their verdicts after 14 hours and 55 minutes of deliberations.
The 39-year-old, Katie Price’s ex-husband, was also cleared of four alternative counts of sexual activity with a child.
According to The Sun, Hayler sobbed as the verdict was given.
During the trial, Katie Price denied his claims that she had orchestrated a campaign against him. Hayler maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
Kieran Hayler cleared of all charges in court
The jury comprised four men and six women. They acquitted Hayler of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, alongside the alternative charges.
The allegations concerned incidents said to have happened in West Sussex between June and October 2016.
Hayler and Price were married at the time. They married in the Bahamas in 2013, separated in 2018 and finalised their divorce in 2021.
The complainant first approached the NSPCC about the allegations in 2021, the court heard. The charity then referred the matter to police.
When questioned by officers, Hayler denied raping the girl. He alleged that Price had influenced the complainant and was trying to damage his reputation. Price denied his allegations against her.
Katie Price’s evidence examined during trial
Katie Price gave evidence during the trial, with her testimony lasting over three days.
Her cross-examination included questions about messages she had sent to the teenager around the time of the alleged incidents.
According to the Mirror, Katie had asked the girl whether Hayler had kissed her. Defence barrister Arlette Piercy challenged Katie over her account of the sequence of events.
During those exchanges, Katie rejected accusations that she was lying.
The former couple’s relationship also featured in closing speeches reported by the Mirror. The defence argued that the allegations stemmed from their dispute.
Prosecutor Ryan Richter urged jurors to concentrate on evidence relevant to deciding the case. Addressing Katie’s testimony, he said: “The prosecution accept you’re likely to treat her evidence with caution.”
He asked jurors to look for supporting evidence when assessing her account, rather than focusing on the personalities involved.
For the defence, Ms Piercy argued that Hayler had remained consistent and clear throughout his defence.
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