The co-founder of clothing company Superdry has been jailed for eight years today for raping a woman after a night out. 

James Holder, 54, was convicted of rape by a jury at Cirencester Crown Court on 1 May.

Holder, 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.

Following his sentence on 6 May, Alex Ward from the Crown Prosecution Service said: 

“The case of James Holder shows that even in instances where it is one person’s word against other, the jury does find defendants guilty of rape.

“The CPS and Gloucestershire Police built a strong case thanks to the evidence provided by the victim including photos and video evidence she had captured.

“I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of rape or sexual assault to go to the police – your voice matters and you will be listened to.”