The co-founder of clothing company Superdry has been convicted of rape by a jury at Cirencester Crown Court today (1 May).

James Holder, 54 and from Cheltenham, had been on a night out in the town in May 2022 when he and a friend got into the same taxi as the victim. Despite her telling the driver that the men would be going to a different address, they both followed her into her flat.

The woman got both men a drink, assuming they would go home afterwards, but Holder fell asleep on her bed and the other man on her couch.

The woman told police that she drifted off to sleep in her living room, and later became aware of Holder entering the room. She told him it was late and to go back to sleep, and he asked her to show him back to the bedroom. When she did, he pulled her onto the bed and raped her.

Alex Ward of the Crown Prosecution Service said: 

“Our case was that Holder raped the victim in her home, while she repeatedly told him to stop.

“Holder admitted to sexual activity with the victim, but claimed that everything that occurred was consensual. In cases like this, the prosecution must prove that the defendant did not have a reasonable belief that consent had been given. The evidence provided by the victim, both in her police interviews and in court, led the jury to convict Holder of rape.

“I would like to thank the victim for coming forward to report what happened to her, and for supporting this case.”