Superdry Co-Founder Convicted of Rape

James Holder, the co-founder of fashion brand Superdry, was convicted of rape by a jury at Gloucester Crown Court on Friday. The verdict came after a five-day trial where Holder, aged 54, was found guilty of one count of rape but acquitted of a separate charge of assault by penetration for an incident that occurred in May 2022.

The incident took place following a night out at Gin and Juice bar in Cheltenham. According to testimony, Holder became intoxicated and ended up uninvitedly entering the victim's home after they had all been drinking together. The accuser testified that Holder assaulted her after waking from a short nap, despite her pleas for him to stop.

Holder denied the charges, asserting that any sexual activity was consensual. He told the court he believed there was "completely full consent" and did not see or hear the victim crying at any point during their encounter. The jury, however, found him guilty of rape but not guilty of assault by penetration.

Holder was remanded into custody ahead of his sentencing scheduled for May 7 at Bristol Crown Court. The court dismissed Holder's application for bail, citing his "significant resources" and considering him a flight risk. Superdry issued a statement clarifying that Holder had resigned as a director in 2016 and any consultancy arrangement ended in 2019, emphasizing that the case does not relate to the company or its activities.

Detective Constable Elle MacLeod from Gloucestershire Constabulary's Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team encouraged more survivors of rape to come forward. "I would like to commend the survivor for her courage and bravery in coming forward to the police," she said, adding that Holder will now have to face the consequences of his actions.