12 January 2023 , 15:11
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Blue singer Lee Ryan has been found guilty of the racially aggravated assault of a female cabin crew member while drunk.
During an appearance at Ealing Magistrates', the court heard that the pop star, 39, told black flight attendant Leah Gordon "I want your chocolate children" while on a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City.
The singer was said to have been "slurring his words and staggering around" after drinking a whole bottle of port before boarding the flight on July 31 last year.
Giving evidence earlier, Ryan was tearful as he said that he drank a whole bottle of port and ate cheese in the BA lounge after the flight was delayed.
After he boarded the plane, he was refused anymore alcohol and was told to return to his seat, prompting him to make comments about a flight attendant's looks, calling her a "chocolate cookie" before grabbing her wrists, it was alleged.
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Blue singer Lee Ryan allegedly racially abused a flight attendant and asked her to kiss him in a drunken tirade, a court has heard (PA)
Leah Gordon, the British Airways crew member who was racially abused, said the singer's comments left her feeling embaressed (Nicholas Razzell)He was accused of being drunk on an aircraft, assaulting a police officer, racially aggravated common assault by beating and behaving in an abusive way towards the cabin crew member.
Ms Gordon 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."
Ms Gordon went on: "It felt like he was saying I was beautiful for a black person because of the way he was describing my colour."
The flight attendant 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 said: "He was towering over me, like he was leaning in to give me a kiss."
The flight attendant told the court: "He said to me 'I want your chocolate children."'
She added: "I was intimidated, I felt a bit embarrassed like I wasn't doing my duty properly.
(PA)"To get comments about my colour whether intentional or not, it was just unacceptable and so derogatory.
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"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."
Ryan appeared in the dock and told the court of "annoying" a passenger next to him by asking what book he was reading, with no recollection of what occurred after that.
The pop star went on: "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."
He added: "I didn't mean to cause any distress to anyone or be racist, it was just a poor choice of words I suppose."
He allegedly told a black flight attendant 'I want your chocolate children' while on a British Airways flight (PA)
He appeared at court today (PA)Ryan told the court his actions were merely "playful" and denied the use of the word chocolate was racist.
He also claimed to have said "chocolate chip cookie", adding: "They're white, there was no malice in them (the comments)."
He added: "I am sorry that I touched her, but that's all I did, touch her lightly, by her admission."
He told police officers in an interview, read to the court: "I wish I could ring her up and apologise and offer her some Blue tickets for the next tour."
They claimed he tried to bite one of the officers after being arrested at the London airport, to which he replied: "I don't remember that."
Another flight attendant, who also gave evidence in court, said she was approached by Ryan shortly after the plane departed.
She said: "He told me he had a problem, that he was being harassed by other passengers, that he was famous and asked did I know who he was."
Ryan asked to be upgraded from economy to business class but was refused as the plane was full, it was said.
The flight attendant said: "He was angry, saying he was a gold card holder and that he needed to be moved because of this."
She noticed Ryan was "slurring his words and staggering around" and cut him off from ordering alcohol, it was alleged.
Ryan followed her to the back of the plane and asked for another drink but was refused, she said.
He told her "stop being boring, let's have a drink", the court heard.