Blue star Lee Ryan has been handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence for racially aggravated common assault on a British Airways flight.

The 40-year-old singer was slurring his words and staggering around after drinking a whole bottle of port before a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport on 31 July last year, Isleworth Crown Court heard.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft, for which he was handed a four-month suspended jail term to run concurrently.

After being refused more alcohol on the plane and told to return to his seat, Ryan made comments about flight attendant Leah Gordon’s looks and called her a ‘chocolate cookie’.

Ms Gordon said Ryan later approached her from behind and said: “Before I get off this plane I need a kiss from you.”

She told him to ‘stay away’ and he grabbed both of her wrists before passengers intervened.

Ryan said he had no memory of the incident.

Judge Nicholas Wood ordered Ryan to pay £2,500 compensation to Ms Gordon, £750 to another member of the cabin crew, Jade Smith, and £510 in costs.