Superdry co-founder James Holder found guilty of rape

Alice Tomlinson
Fri, 01 May 2026 13:05:40 +0000

The co-founder of clothing brand Superdry has been found guilty of rape following a night out drinking.

James Holder, 54, of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, was convicted by a jury at Gloucester Crown Court, sitting in Cirencester, after four hours of deliberation.

He showed no emotion as the verdict was returned.

The multimillionaire businessman had denied the charge, insisting any sexual activity between him and the complainant was consensual.

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The court heard that in the early hours of May 7, 2022, following a night out at a bar in Cheltenham, Holder and a friend went back to the woman's home uninvited.

He fell asleep on her bed, then woke and beckoned the woman, who had gone to sleep in the lounge, into her bedroom, where he raped her.

Giving evidence, the woman said she was crying and asking Holder to stop throughout the ordeal, but he continued regardless.

She said he forced her to attempt to perform oral sex on him before the rape.

When his barrister suggested it had been "a drunken sexual encounter that you regret", the woman replied simply: "Incorrect."

When the court was told that the "sex" had lasted approximately 20 minutes, the woman replied: "I call it rape."

The ordeal ended when she managed to escape from the bedroom.

Holder left her home shortly afterwards.

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In his own evidence, Holder told the jury the woman had kissed him first and that it was "evident what she wanted to happen".

He said she had consented throughout and that he had not seen or heard her crying at any point.

The fashion brand co-founder said he left the flat afterwards because he had been out longer than anticipated and needed to get home, adding: "She was asleep on the bed."

Prosecutor James Haskell suggested Holder had gone to the woman's doorway specifically to entice her to the bedroom, telling him: "You saw something you wanted and you took it."

Holder denied the allegation.

The jury acquitted Holder of a separate charge of assault by penetration but found him guilty of rape.

He was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at Bristol Crown Court on May 7.

His barrister asked the judge to grant bail as "a matter of mercy" to allow Holder to say goodbye to his wife and children and put his affairs in order.

Recorder David Chidgey refused, saying Holder was a flight risk given his considerable wealth.

He said: "The temptation to attempt to use his considerable resources to flee is too great as he faces a considerable custodial sentence."

He added: "On one view, the victim in this case did not have the opportunity to put her affairs in order when she suffered an appalling, distressing event."