Lee Ryan, a member of the chart-topping boyband Blue, is set to face sentencing for a racially aggravated assault on a British Airways air steward. This outcome follows his failed bid to clear his name through the courts, as his latest appeal was dismissed by the High Court in a landmark decision that has shed light on the complexities of Britain's justice system.
The incident in question occurred on 31 July 2022, during a flight from Glasgow to London. Ryan had admitted to being intoxicated at the time and was accused of making an offensive comment towards a cabin crew member, describing her as like a “sweet chocolate chip cookie.” The steward also alleged that Ryan physically touched her, grabbing her wrists and leaning in as if to kiss her, after she instructed him to return to his seat.
Ryan's conviction for racially aggravated assault in 2023 initially carried a 12-month suspended sentence. However, this was later revoked when he launched an appeal to overturn the conviction. At Isleworth Crown Court in 2024, Ryan denied grabbing the steward's wrists, claiming instead that he had touched them with an open palm as an apology – an account that judges noted was inconsistent with his initial statement to police following his arrest.
Undeterred by this setback, Ryan took his case to the High Court, challenging the Crown Court's refusal to permit a further appeal. However, Lord Justice Holgate and Mr Justice Johnson rejected this move, deeming it "frivolous." The judges sent the case back to the Crown Court for sentencing, reiterating that the Crown Court was entitled to rely on the inconsistencies in Ryan's defence, particularly given the steward's consistent and compelling testimony compared to Ryan's intoxication and changing accounts.
The legal proceedings have highlighted the differing accounts of the incident, with the courts ultimately siding with the steward's version of events. Ryan's lawyers argued that the Crown Court judge had drawn an inaccurate inference from his police interview, but this argument was dismissed by the High Court judges who stated it was their duty to weigh the evidence presented by both parties.