Lee Ryan, the 43-year-old pop singer from boyband Blue, has lost a High Court challenge against his conviction for racially aggravated assault on a British Airways flight in July 2022. The incident occurred on a flight from Glasgow to London City Airport, where Ryan was reportedly slurring his words and staggering after drinking an entire bottle of port before boarding.
Details of the Incident
After being refused further alcohol by cabin crew and instructed to return to his seat, Ryan made offensive comments about flight attendant Leah Gordon, calling her a "chocolate cookie" before grabbing her wrists. He was subsequently convicted of racially aggravated assault and behaving abusively toward a crew member at Isleworth Crown Court in September 2023, receiving a 12-month suspended prison sentence.
Appeal Process
Ryan initially appealed his convictions at the Crown Court, which was partially dismissed. A Crown Court judge refused to refer the case to the High Court, deeming the application frivolous. Ryan then brought a separate legal challenge at the High Court, but on Tuesday, July 14, Lord Justice Holgate and Mr Justice Johnson dismissed his bid.
In their ruling, the judges noted that Ryan's appeal against his convictions was heard in November 2023, with his sentence rescinded. In November 2024, a judge and two magistrates granted Ryan's appeal regarding the threat to a crew member but dismissed the appeal over the assault conviction, citing inconsistencies in Ryan's evidence about whether he grabbed or merely touched Ms. Gordon's wrists. Ryan claimed he had been misled by police.
High Court Ruling
Lord Justice Holgate and Mr Justice Johnson stated: "The central task for the Crown Court was to assess the reliability and credibility of the competing accounts given by Ms Gordon and Mr Ryan. In doing so, it was entitled to rely on the inconsistency between Mr Ryan's account in interview, which coincided with Ms Gordon's allegation that he had grabbed her wrists, and the account he gave in evidence."
They added: "The essential reasoning of the court was that it believed Ms Gordon who had been sober at the time and who was a consistent and compelling witness, and they disbelieved Mr Ryan who had been drunk at the time and had been inconsistent. That was sufficient for the court to dismiss the appeal."
The judges concluded there was "no error" in the Crown Court judge's decision not to send the case to the High Court. Ryan will now return to court for sentencing.
