In the dark days after Kieran Hayler was arrested on suspicion of rape last year, rumours swirled that his bitter ex-wife, Katie Price, might have had some hand in it.
uncertain
wife → arrest → it
Nobody I spoke to was quite sure what part, if any, she had to play, but it was clear that she still despised Kieran, having never got over him cheating on her with her then-best friend Jane Pountney in 2014, just a year after they were married.
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they → speak → 2014
Katie was called to testify as a witness in Kieran’s trial this month because the allegations against him dated back to when they were together.
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they → call → him
But at the summing up of the case at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday, which found Kieran, 39, not guilty of all charges – three counts of rape and one of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl in West Sussex in 2016 – the judge lambasted Katie for her performance in court.
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judge → find → court
Judge Mark van der Zwart even told the jury to disregard a portion of Katie’s testimony, describing her as ‘what barristers of a previous generation would have called a “dangerous witness”’.
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barristers → tell → generation
Indeed, during the case, Kieran accused Katie of setting him up with ‘fabricated’ allegations and even claimed she had orchestrated a ‘smear campaign’, which she denied.
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she → accuse → which
Meanwhile, Kieran’s lawyers argued Katie launched a ‘premeditated attempt to bring down this trial’.
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Katie → argue → trial
Even for Katie, who refuses to allow any criticism to bother her, it is extremely damaging.
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it → refuse → her
And now, I’m told that even some of those in her circle are ‘disgusted’ by her.
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some → tell → her
They say messages shown in court, which Katie exchanged with Kieran’s alleged victim in 2014, were particularly telling.
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Katie → say → 2014
Katie Price arriving at Lewes Crown Court, where her ex-husband Kieran Hayler was charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl
Katie’s message said: ‘Did he kiss you?
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he → arrive → you
I won’t bring up anymore just want truth.
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I → bring → truth
I will make you a little star.’
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you → make → ?
‘Katie is a master manipulator, it’s what she does and who she is,’ says a long-term associate of Katie’s.
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associate → ’ → Katie
‘Every situation is about her, and how it benefits her.
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it → benefit → her
She is the least forgiving person and if anyone ever wrongs her she will never forget about it.
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she → wrong → it
‘And of course she will want her revenge [on Kieran].
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she → want → Kieran
She falls out with everyone.
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She → fall → everyone
It’s what fuels her.
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what → ’ → her
And God forbid anyone who goes against her.
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who → forbid → her
She will just cut you off.’
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She → cut → you
For legal reasons I can’t share some of it, but I do know that Kieran has lost a lot as a result of the false allegations made against him.
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Kieran → share → him
‘They have always been quite fond of Kieran,’ says my insider.
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insider → say → Kieran
‘Having it hanging over the family for so long has been hard for all of the kids.’
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it → have → kids
Katie with her then-husband Kieran at a screening of Epic in Leicester Square back in May 2013
Katie first met Kieran in 2012 after she had split from long-term boyfriend Leandro Penna.
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she → meet → Penna
At the time Kieran was a builder and part-time stripper but he soon joined her as a media star, conducting interviews with celebrity magazines, and a year later they were married.
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they → join → magazines
However, the pair split in 2017 after Kieran had a fling with yet another of Katie’s friends, Chrissy Thomas.
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Kieran → split → friends
Those close to Katie say she was aware that the judge’s stern criticism of her performance in court will hardly have put her in an enviable light.
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criticism → say → light
And while she ignores most of what her critics say about her, she has always been committed to shaping her story in the media – and this latest saga will likely prove no exception.
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saga → ignore → media
That is why, say sources, she decided this week it was time to put the engagement ring from her fourth and most recent ex-husband Lee Andrews back on.
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it → say → husband
Katie married him in a shock wedding in Dubai in January, having known Lee for less than a week.
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Katie → marry → week
They split nine months later in September.
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They → split → September
Katie ensured she was pictured wearing the ring on the same day as Kieran was cleared – and she was humiliated by the judge.
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she → ensure → judge
‘This is classic Katie,’ says a source close to her.
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source → say → her
‘She knows to flood the internet with an alternative story when there is another which isn’t going her way.
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which → know → story
She suspected she was going to get a hammering from the judge so hoped they’d move the attention away from that if she put the pictures out on the day of the verdict.
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she → suspect → verdict
‘She knows how it all works, and will use any situation to benefit her.
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it → know → her
She put her engagement ring back on, went out with her eldest son Harvey and guess what, there was a photographer there.’
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She → put → what
Along with those paparazzi pictures, when Kieran’s not guilty verdict was delivered on Thursday night, she posted a number of ‘stories’ to her Facebook account which included her selling cheap tops, as well as unearthed clips from her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother back in 2015.
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her → deliver → 2015
She also shared interviews with Princess and Junior from the red carpet at Monday night’s Pride of Britain Awards.
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She → share → Awards
…and 15 more, not listed.
The Aporia
