Blue singer Lee Ryan was pushed down stairs on an aeroplane by another passenger during a flight to Turkey after a “culturally insensitive” act, the boyband has said.
Lee, 40, suffered a leg injury during the incident which took place on a flight from Georgia to Istanbul on Saturday, according to a statement on the band’s official social media channels.
Blue said the alleged assault happened after Ryan “put his feet on the seat, which was considered culturally insensitive” and he had “apologised for any unknowing offence caused”.
The rest of the band – Simon Webbe, Duncan James and Antony Costa – defended Lee and he gave a victim statement to Turkish police.
The band said: “While on a flight from Georgia to Istanbul, Turkey with Turkish Airlines today (July 8), Lee Ryan was physically assaulted by a male passenger.
“Lee and the rest of the band, defended him from the attack, which continued after the plane had landed when the passenger pushed Lee down a flight of stairs causing an injury to his leg.
“Both parties were spoken to by the police in Turkey and to which Lee voluntarily gave a victim statement supported by the band.
“Lee was not at any point arrested, detained or charged with any offence and after giving his statement, was free to continue his journey.
“The assault occurred after Lee had put his feet on the seat which was considered culturally insensitive and for which Lee has apologised for any unknowing offence caused. Blue.”
The altercation comes a month after the boybander successfully applied to withdraw his guilty plea to drunkenly assaulting a police officer during his arrest for abusing a black flight attendant.
A court was told in January the singer was “slurring his words and staggering around” after drinking a bottle of port before a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport on July 31 last year.
After being refused more alcohol on the plane and told to return to his seat, Lee made comments about a flight attendant’s looks, calling her a “chocolate cookie”, before grabbing her wrists.
Police footage showed Ryan “snarling” and swearing after allegedly trying to bite a police officer as they tried to arrest him at the airport.
He was found guilty at Ealing Magistrates’ Court in January of racially aggravated common assault by beating and behaving in an abusive way towards the cabin crew member.
Lee pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer by biting him but at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June, the singer was told it would be “unjust” for him not to be allowed to withdraw the guilty plea after he claimed to have received bad advice from his solicitor.
A decision on whether Ryan will face a trial will be made later this month.
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