Former pop star Lee Ryan, aged 43, received a 12‑month suspended prison sentence for a racially aggravated assault and abusive behaviour toward a cabin crew member.
The incident occurred on a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport in July 2022. Ryan, after consuming a full bottle of port, was described as slurring and staggering when the flight began.
When denied further alcohol and asked to return to his seat, he made a derogatory remark about flight attendant Leah Gordon’s appearance and seized her wrists, prompting an immediate police response.
In September 2023, Isleworth Crown Court upheld the conviction and imposed the suspended sentence. Ryan subsequently sought to appeal the decision.
His appeal was brought to the High Court, but two judges dismissed the application, citing inconsistencies in his statements regarding the incident.
The court noted a discrepancy between Ryan’s account of gripping the attendant’s wrists and his earlier police interview, which suggested only a touch.
Officials emphasised that the cabin crew member, sober and consistent in her testimony, was deemed more credible than the intoxicated defendant.
The judges affirmed that there was no error in the Crown Court’s earlier ruling not to refer the case to the High Court.
Ryan will return to court for sentencing following the dismissal of his appeal.
The case highlights the legal consequences of public misconduct and the importance of reliable witness testimony in criminal proceedings.
