Blue star Lee Ryan is planning a Supreme Court challenge after losing previous appeals over his conviction for racially aggravated assault on an aircraft, a court heard.
Incident details
The singer, 43, was “slurring his words and staggering around” after drinking a whole bottle of port before a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport in July 2022.
After being refused more alcohol on the plane and told to return to his seat, Ryan made comments about flight attendant Leah Gordon’s looks, calling her a “chocolate cookie” before grabbing her wrists. He was convicted of racially aggravated assault and behaving in an abusive way towards a cabin crew member in 2023.
Appeal process
After failing to appeal against his conviction, first at the Crown Court and then the High Court, Ryan now falls to be re-sentenced. On Friday, his barrister Thom Dyke told Isleworth Crown Court the singer is making an “application for legal appeal to the Supreme Court”.
Mr Dyke said the deadline for that application is August 11, and they expect an answer on a “point of law” within the next two months. Ryan was not in attendance for the short hearing.
Victim's account
During earlier court proceedings, the flight attendant said Ryan told her he wanted to have her “chocolate children” and wanted to kiss her. Ms Gordon said: “He was making comments about my complexion, you’re my chocolate darling, my chocolate cookie, and I’m going to have your chocolate children.”
She went on: “It felt like he was saying I was beautiful for a black person because of the way he was describing my colour.” Ms Gordon said Ryan later approached her from behind, saying: “Before I get off this plane I need a kiss from you.”
After telling him to “stay away”, she said he grabbed both her wrists before passengers intervened. She added: “I was intimidated, I felt a bit embarrassed like I wasn’t doing my duty properly. To get comments about my colour whether intentional or not, it was just unacceptable and so derogatory.”
Potential sentence
Ryan confessed to drinking a whole bottle of port and eating cheese in the British Airways lounge after the flight was delayed, and said he had no memory of the incident. If the singer is unsuccessful in his Supreme Court appeal, he will be sentenced again at Isleworth Crown Court.
