A jury at Gloucester Crown Court has convicted Superdry co-founder James Holder of rape following an incident after a night out in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, The Guardian reported.
Prosecutors told the court that although Holder had initially planned to return to a property in the Cotswolds, he instead entered a taxi with the complainant and a male friend, and went to her flat, where the offence took place. The jury reached its verdict after considering witness testimony and discrepancies between Holder’s account and that of the woman.
According to reporting by The Guardian, the prosecution argued that Holder’s actions diverged significantly from his stated intentions for the evening. In court, it was said that the woman repeatedly asked him to stop and became visibly distressed. The prosecution maintained that her level of intoxication impaired her ability to resist, and that her distress formed a central part of the case.
The defence did not dispute that a sexual encounter occurred but argued that it was consensual. Holder told the court his conduct had been respectful, describing himself in a police interview as “old-school and chivalrous”. Defence counsel Michelle Heeley KC suggested the possibility of a drunken encounter later regretted, a claim the complainant rejected in her testimony.
The jury acquitted Holder of a separate charge of assault by penetration but found him guilty of rape. Recorder David Chidgey ordered that he be remanded in custody and denied bail ahead of sentencing, citing the seriousness of the offence.
Holder told the court he left the flat shortly after the incident, claiming the woman was asleep at the time. Prosecutors, however, pointed to inconsistencies between his version of events and the complainant’s account.
Holder previously built a career in fashion, co-founding Superdry in 2003 with Julian Dunkerton after earlier ventures including the Bench brand. The company grew from a market stall in Cheltenham into an international retail business.
A sentencing hearing is expected at a later date.
