A British jury delivered a guilty verdict Friday against James Holder, the 54-year-old businessman who helped establish the popular Superdry clothing brand, on charges of rape stemming from a May 2022 incident.
At Gloucester Crown Court, jurors found Holder guilty on the rape charge while clearing him of a second accusation involving assault by penetration related to the same evening.
According to court testimony, the victim stated that Holder climbed into her taxi and followed her into her residence without permission after both had spent time drinking at a Cheltenham establishment. The woman told the court that the attack occurred after Holder had briefly fallen asleep, and that she wept while pleading with him to stop as he continued the assault.
The businessman, who is married with two children, maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, claiming that any intimate contact had been mutually agreed upon.
Holder has been remanded into custody while he awaits his formal sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for May 7 at Bristol Crown Court.
