Lee Ryan, who boarded a British Airways flight while allegedly intoxicated, has had a charge of assaulting a police officer dropped after withdrawing his guilty plea.
The Blue singer appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today, where he was told that the Crown Prosecution Service had dropped the charges.
Ryan, 40, had previously withdrawn his guilty plea after pleading guilty to assault by biting a police officer, claiming his solicitor had given him “poor advice”.
The boyband member, who was befittingly dressed in a blue suit for the occasion, spoke at the dock only to confirm his name and date of birth.
The court heard that Ryan had boarded a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport on July 31 last year after drinking a bottle of port.
The star was then refused more alcohol on the plane and told to return to his seat, the court heard.
The court was then told how Ryan had made comments about attendant Leah Gordon’s looks.
He allegedly referred to her as “my chocolate cookie” during the interaction, and apparently said she could have their “chocolate children”, before grabbing her wrists.
Back in January, Ryan was found guilty at Ealing Magistrates’ Court of racially aggravated common assault by beating and behaving in an abusive way towards the cabin crew member.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft, which district judge Tan Ikram addressed today.
Ikram told the court: “The drunkenness is as serious as the charges he has been found guilty of.”
He told Ryan’s defence lawyer Keima Payton: “The aircraft member formed the view that your client was drunk.”
The judge then declared that this provided the backdrop for the offences, with all three charges “intertwined”.
Ryan has been found guilty of racially aggravated common assault by beating and behaving in an abusive way towards the cabin crew member, while he also pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft.
He will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on a date to be confirmed.
Source: Read Full Article