Lee Ryan, best known as a singer in Blue, is making an application to the Supreme Court after losing previous appeals over his conviction for racially aggravated assault and behaving in an abusive way.
On Friday, his barrister Thom Dyke told Isleworth Crown Court that Ryan was making an “application for legal appeal to the Supreme Court”. Dyke added that 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.
Background of the Incident
The assault took place in 2022 on board a British Airways flight. Ryan, 43, had drunk a bottle of port before boarding a BA flight from Glasgow to London City Airport in July. A court heard that he was “slurring his words and staggering around” while on board.
He was then refused more alcohol by staff and was told to return to stay in his seat. Flight attendant Leah Gordon claimed that he grabbed her wrists and called her a “chocolate cookie”, and made comments about her colour - as a Black woman - which were inappropriate.
Allegations and Court Proceedings
During earlier court proceedings, Gordon alleged that Ryan told her he wanted to have her “chocolate children” and wanted to kiss her. 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 added: “It felt like he was saying I was beautiful for a black person because of the way he was describing my colour.” Gordon said Ryan later approached her from behind and told her: “Before I get off this plane I need a kiss from you.” To this, she told him to "stay away". She then said at this point he grabbed both her wrists and then 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.”
Ryan confessed to drinking a whole bottle of port and eating cheese in the British Airways lounge after the flight was delayed. However, he claims to have no memory of the incidents that took place on the plane.
