Pop Singer Will Be Sentenced After ‘Racially Aggravated’ Assault

Lee Ryan will be sentenced after he was found guilty in January of racially aggravated common assault by beating and behaving in an abusive way towards a female cabin crew member on a British Airways flight. According to Sky News, Ryan, who was a member of the boy band Blue, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, July 12, where was told the Crown Prosecution Service had dropped an assault charge against him after he withdrew his guilty plea, claiming he received “poor advice from his solicitor.” Lee will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on a date to be confirmed.

The guilty verdict and upcoming sentencing come after Lee was involved in an incident on a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London on July 31, 2022. The pop star was reportedly “slurring his words and staggering around” after drinking a whole bottle of port before the flight. After being refused more alcohol on the plane and told to return to his seat, Ryan became aggressive and made comments about Leah Gordon, a Black flight attendant, calling her a “chocolate cookie” and telling her, “I want your chocolate children,” The Guardian previously reported. Lee also reportedly grabbed Gordon’s wrists. Police footage showed Ryan “snarling” and swearing at officers after biting one of them.

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In January, Lee was found guilty of being drunk on an aircraft, racially aggravated common assault by beating, and behaving in an abusive way towards the cabin crew member. He was also found guilty of assaulting a police officer by biting, though the charge was later dropped.

“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,” Lee previously told the court, per Sky News. “I didn’t mean to cause any distress to anyone or be racist, it was just a poor choice of words I suppose.”

Lee will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court at a later date. District judge Tan Ikram said on July 12, “the drunkenness is as serious as the charges he has been found guilty of. The aircraft member formed the view that your client was drunk.” Ikram added that this provided the backdrop for the offences, with all three charges “intertwined.”

Lee, who said he lives in Spain, shot to fame in 2001 as a member of the boy band Blue. The group’s debut song “All Rise” reached No. 4 in the UK singles chart and topped the charts in New Zealand. The band went on to score three UK No. 1 singles across four years before splitting in 2005. Blue reunited last year with an album and UK tour.