Star of Blue, Lee Ryan, has narrowly dodged a prison sentence after being found guilty of racially aggravated assault.
Ryan drunkenly assaulted a black flight attendant and told her: “I want your chocolate children”.
The 40-year-old was “slurring his words and staggering around” after drinking a whole bottle of port before he boarded a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport on July 31 last year.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft, for which he was handed a four-month jail term to run concurrently.
Ryan was refused more alcohol on the plane and told to return to his seat – but he then made comments about Leah Gordon’s looks, and called her a “chocolate cookie” before grabbing her wrists.
At Isleworth crown court on Thursday, Judge Nicholas Wood sentenced Ryan to 12 months in prison, but agreed to suspend the jail term for the next 18 months.
He said his actions were “totally unacceptable and disgraceful.”
The judge added that while the incident only lasted 10 or 15 minutes: “It seemed like a lifetime for everybody on that plane.”
Ryan admitted to being drunk on an aircraft and was found guilty after trial of racially aggravated common assault by beating and behaving in a threatening, abusive, or disorderly manner.
The judge saw psychological assessments of Ryan, and concluded he does not pose an ongoing risk to the public.
The singer was ordered to pay £2,500 compensation to Ms Gordon, £750 to another members of cabin crew, and £510 in costs.
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