James Holder, co-founder of the fashion brand Superdry, has denied raping a woman after a night out in Cheltenham, insisting their encounter was consensual. The 54-year-old businessman testified at Gloucester Crown Court, describing the encounter as mutually desired and refuting allegations that he took advantage of the woman’s intoxication.
Holder explained that after an evening out on May 6, 2022, he and a male friend chose not to take a taxi home but instead entered a taxi with the complainant, ultimately going to her flat. It was there that the woman alleges he raped her. Holder, however, told the court he did not intend for the night to end and followed the woman’s lead.
Recalling the events, Holder said the woman initiated physical contact by kissing him first. He described himself as “old school and chivalrous” with a genuine respect for women, emphasizing that consent was clear throughout the encounter. Holder detailed how he declined an offered drink, fell asleep in her bed briefly, then later woke to find the woman awake, leading to mutual kissing and consensual sex.
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In cross-examination, Holder denied seeing or hearing any sign of distress, such as the woman crying. He also asserted that he stopped any activity when she expressed discomfort. Addressing why he left shortly after, Holder said he needed to return home and that she was asleep when he left.
Holder further described his emotional reaction upon learning of the allegations in November 2022, revealing he was in “extreme physical and mental shock,” which caused him to break down during a police interview.
Prosecutors questioned Holder’s intentions for going to the woman’s flat and challenged his account of consensual behavior. Holder maintained that the woman’s actions made her intentions clear and rejected suggestions that he sought to coerce or force her.
Holder, a Gloucestershire resident, denies charges of rape and assault by penetration. The trial is ongoing.