Superdry Co-Founder James Holder Convicted in Rape Case After Cheltenham Night Out

James Holder, co-founder of Superdry, has been found guilty of raping a woman following a night out in Cheltenham. The verdict was delivered at Gloucester Crown Court after detailed proceedings that examined the events leading up to the incident.

The court heard that Holder, 54, had initially planned to return to his Cotswolds home by taxi with a male friend. However, both men entered the victim’s taxi and later went to her flat. Prosecutor James Haskell told the jury that the woman repeatedly asked Holder to stop during the encounter, but he continued even as she began crying. He added that the victim was in a vulnerable state due to intoxication. UK Man Rapes Sikh Woman After Mistaking Her for Muslim, Says ‘Wanted To Have Fun’.

There was no dispute that s*xual activity took place. However, Holder maintained that the encounter was consensual, while the woman stated she had been rped. During police questioning, Holder described himself as “old-school and chivalrous,” a claim challenged in court. When asked if he acted in a chivalrous manner, he said he had looked after the woman throughout the evening. UK: Indian-Origin Woman Raped in Walsall's Park Hall Area, Police Call 'Racially Aggravated' Attack Horrific; 1 Arrested.

Holder also told the court he left the flat shortly after, claiming he needed to go home and that the woman was asleep. Defence lawyer Michelle Heeley suggested it was a drunken encounter later regretted, which the victim firmly denied.

Holder, from Cheltenham, had denied charges of rape and assault by penetration dating back to May 2022.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 01, 2026 05:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).