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A court in Gloucestershire has heard allegations that James Holder, co-founder of the clothing brand Superdry, raped a woman following a night of drinking. The 54-year-old, who is from Cheltenham, is facing charges related to an incident that took place in 2022. After a night out in Cheltenham, Holder reportedly went to the woman’s home and later fell asleep on her bed.
According to the prosecution at Gloucester Crown Court, which convened in Cirencester, Holder awakened and called the woman—who was resting in the lounge—to come into the bedroom, where the assault is said to have taken place. Holder denies the accusations of rape and assault by penetration.
Prosecuting barrister James Haskell outlined the case, stating that Holder sexually assaulted and raped the woman in the early hours of May 7, 2022. While there is no dispute that some sexual contact occurred, Holder maintains that the acts were consensual and that he believed this to be the case. The court heard that the woman repeatedly told Holder she did not want to engage, saying she was tired, but Holder allegedly pulled her onto the bed, removed her clothing against her will, and continued despite her protests, including at times when she was crying.
The woman eventually escaped and left the bedroom, with Holder departing not long afterward. The assault was reported to the police, and the woman provided a video-recorded interview several months later. The prosecution argued that the woman was heavily intoxicated during the incident, which they say made her more vulnerable and that Holder exploited this vulnerability. The woman has firmly rejected claims that the encounter was consensual, stating under cross-examination that she was forced to perform oral sex on him and insisted that the incident was rape, not a regretted drunken encounter. Holder’s defense, led by Michelle Heeley KC, suggested that the sexual activity was consensual, with the woman initiating some contact, but she disputed these assertions
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