James Holder, 54, the co-founder of the fashion brand Superdry, was convicted of rape by a jury at Gloucester Crown Court on Friday. The verdict follows allegations of an assault in May 2022 after a night of drinking at a bar in Cheltenham, England. Holder was acquitted of a separate charge of assault by penetration.
The accuser testified that Holder entered her home uninvited after they had been at a bar and assaulted her after waking from a short nap. She stated she cried and pleaded for him to stop, but he continued. Holder denied the charges, claiming all sexual activity was consensual. He was jailed in advance of sentencing, scheduled for May 7 at Bristol Crown Court.
Holder co-founded Superdry in 2003, and the brand was sold in 157 countries by 2018. The company was delisted from the London Stock Exchange in 2024 after announcing a drop in sales and has since rebranded as Superdry & Co.
The trial heard conflicting accounts of the encounter. The accuser denied suggestions that she initiated the encounter, stating Holder forced her to perform oral sex. Holder’s defense argued the encounter was consensual, with his barrister suggesting it was a drunken sexual encounter the accuser regretted. The jury acquitted Holder of the assault by penetration charge but found him guilty of rape.
Holder, a married father of two, testified that the accuser kissed him first and that it was evident what she wanted to happen. He described himself as 'old school and chivalrous' toward women and 'adored sex.' The court heard that the sexual activity lasted approximately 20 minutes, which the accuser referred to as rape.