Lee Ryan, lead vocalist for the band Blue, was found guilty of aggravated assault on a flight attendant based on her race.
The Ealing Magistrates’ Court heard that on July 31st, Ryan, 39, drank a bottle of port in the airport lounge before boarding a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport.
A member of the flight crew has said that the famous singer asked her if she recognised him and then asked for an upgrade.
Ryan said his actions were only lighthearted and refuted all allegations against him.
The boyband star, who claimed to be a Spanish resident, was found guilty of several charges, including intoxication on an aircraft, attacking a police officer by biting him, and common assault that was racially aggravated.
The date he will receive his punishment is February 24.
Ryan, who was granted unconditional bail, was spotted by reporters racing into a local elementary school after the court.
Early in the new millennium, Blue released three studio albums, including the popular All Rise and Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word.
After calling it quits in 2005, they reunited six years later for the Eurovision Song Contest.
A Color Wheel of Me
The court heard that flight attendant Leah Gordon felt “intimidated” and “embarrassed” by Ryan’s comments about her appearance, which she called “inappropriate and so insulting.”
According to Ms. Gordon, Ryan made slurs about her skin tone and informed her he was going to have her children.
“The way he was describing my colour, it made me feel like he was saying I was gorgeous for a black person,” she explained.
She told the judge that afterward, Ryan had come up behind her and said, “Before I get off this plane I need a kiss from you.”
In court, it was revealed that she told him to “keep away,” but he nevertheless grabbed both of her wrists until other people intervened.
She described his height difference with her as “like he was leaning in to give me a kiss.”
In the video, Ryan can be heard “snarling” and cursing at the police after he bites a cop.
Another flight attendant said that Ryan approached her soon after takeoff and wanted to be moved from coach to business class.
His request was denied, she testified, because the flight was already at capacity.
“Are you familiar with my identity?”
He informed her, “I have a problem. Other passengers are harassing me because I am famous,” and he inquired if she recognised him.
“He was irate, saying he was a gold-card holder and that he needed to be moved because of this,” the flight attendant said.
According to her testimony in court, she saw Ryan “slurring his words and wobbling around” and “refused to serve him any more alcohol” before ordering him back to his seat.
During his testimony, a sad Ryan testified that he had consumed an entire bottle of port and some cheese in the BA lounge while waiting for his delayed flight.
The singer explained, “It was banter, just inebriated banter I suppose; there was no malice or purpose to upset anyone.”