Blue star Lee Ryan guilty of racially aggravated assault of a female cabin crew member on a BA flight
12 January 2023, 15:12 | Updated: 12 January 2023, 16:47
Blue star Lee Ryan has been found guilty of the racially aggravated assault of a female cabin crew member after drinking an entire bottle of port before a flight.
He told a black flight attendant "I want your chocolate children" and asked her to kiss him while drunk on the plane.
The singer, 39, 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 on July 31 last year.
After being refused more alcohol on the plane and told to return to his seat, Ryan made comments about a flight attendant's looks, calling her a "chocolate cookie" before grabbing her wrists.
The flight attendant told Ealing Magistrates' Court on Thursday that Ryan initially called her "beautiful" and put his sunglasses on her face.
She 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."
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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.
"I just felt like it wasn't fair and I shouldn't have to put up with it. I don't go to work to be assaulted or harassed."
The flight attendant said Ryan later approached her from behind, saying: "Before I get off this plane I need a kiss from you."
Ryan, who was tearful before giving evidence, said he drank an entire bottle of port and ate cheese while waiting for his delayed flight, saying he had little collection of events.
The pop star said: "I'm sorry. My band member is black, I'm not racist, I've had black girlfriends, mixed-race girlfriends.
"It was banter, just drunk banter I suppose, there was no malice or intention to upset anyone."
The trial continues.
