James Holder, the 54-year-old co-founder of the clothing brand Superdry, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for raping a woman in her Cheltenham flat after a night out in May 2022. The jury at Gloucester Crown Court, sitting in Cirencester, found him guilty of rape last week.
The court heard that Holder, who had been due to take a taxi home with a male friend, instead accompanied the victim to her flat and assaulted her. The woman repeatedly asked him to stop, but he continued even as she cried. The judge, David Chidgey, described the attack as a 'living nightmare' and noted that Holder had not been invited into the flat.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said Holder had acted as if he were 'entitled' and that the assault had left her feeling disconnected from her own body. She stated: 'You chose to take what was never yours – my choice, my dignity, my body.'
Holder, who attended the hearing via video link from prison, did not react to the statement. His barrister, Michelle Heeley KC, argued in mitigation that his wife and two children would also suffer, and that he had built businesses employing thousands and done charitable work. She also noted he would be a target in prison due to his high profile and wealth.
The judge dismissed Holder's application for bail to sort out his affairs, citing a flight risk due to his 'significant resources'. Holder had one previous conviction for drink-driving in 2023. Superdry confirmed that Holder had no role at the company at the time of the offence.
