Blue star Lee Ryan spared jail for abusing British Airways cabin crew staff

Blue star Lee Ryan was handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence after abusing a cabin crew member.

The 40-year-old singer was handed the sentence at Isleworth Crown Court for racially aggravated common assault by beating and behaving in an abusive way. He was reportedly "slurring his words and staggering around" after drinking a whole bottle of port before heading on a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London CIty Airport on July 31 last year.

Earlier, he pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft, which resulted in a four-month jail term, suspended, to run concurrently. However, after being refused more alcohol on the flight, Ryan made comments about flight attendant Leah Gordon's appearance, calling her a "chocolate cookie" before grabbing her wrists.

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As he sentenced the singer, Judge Nicholas Wood said that while the incident only lasted 10 or 15 minutes, “it seemed like a lifetime for everybody on that plane”. He ordered the singer to pay £2,500 compensation to Ms Gordon, £750 to Jade Smith, another member of the cabin crew, and £510 in costs.