Arabic version: المؤسس المشارك لشركة سوبر دراي يُدان بالاغتصاب في غلوسترشير

Superdry co-founder James Holder has been convicted of rape following a trial at Gloucester Crown Court. The jury, composed of seven men and five women, reached their verdict after a five-day hearing regarding an incident that occurred during a night out in May 2022.

According to BBC News, Holder, 54, had gone back to the victim’s flat in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, where he attacked her. The court heard that Holder had initially fallen asleep on the woman’s bed, while a friend occupied her living room sofa.

Prosecutor James Haskell detailed the events, stating that Holder attempted to persuade the victim to join him in the bedroom. Despite her refusal, he reportedly continued to touch her and did not stop even when she expressed her distress. The victim eventually managed to escape from Holder and leave the bedroom. She reported the incident to the police shortly thereafter.

After the jury found Holder guilty, Recorder David Chidgey denied his application for bail, citing concerns that he might use his “significant resources” to flee. Holder had been found not guilty of a separate charge of assault by penetration. The case has drawn significant public attention due to Holder’s prominent status in the fashion industry, having co-founded Superdry in 2003.