Superdry co-founder says sex with alleged victim 'was consensual'

The co-founder of fashion chain Superdry has denied raping a woman after a night out, telling a court their encounter was consensual. James Holder, aged 54, told the jury at Cirencester Courthouse on Wednesday he was on a "completely impromptu" night out in Cheltenham when he ended up in the back of the woman's taxi in May 2022. He said he "did not think to ask" the woman whether it was OK to get in the back of her vehicle, and then told the jury it was "very evident" the woman wanted to have sex with him later on in her flat and he believed there was "completely full consent". Holder, from Cheltenham, denies charges of rape and assault by penetration. Warning: This story contains distressing details. Holder told the court on Wednesday his company, JACKITCo, was on the brink of administration when he went to Gin and Juice in Cheltenham on 6 May 2022, and the company collapsed the following week. He said he remembers the night drawing to a close at about 01:00 on 7 May 2022. Holder previously told police in an interview he would rank his drunkenness as a "seven or seven point five" out of 10 on that night. Holder originally got into a taxi on the Promenade with a friend but, when a