British Airways hired a convicted paedophile to represent the national airline at the Pride Festival held in Brighton last month.
Darren Sewell, who was convicted of child rape in 1999 and broke a court order banning him from contact with children in 2011, worked as a drag queen on the British Airways float that toured the seaside city.
Sewell, who is known by the stage name Crystal Couture, can be seen wearing a cabin crew costume and standing among British Airways ambassadors waving the rainbow flag celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.
He was one of two drag queens British Airways hired via an entertainment agency to represent the national airline for the Pride Festival held in Brighton on 4 August.
British Airways was one of the sponsors of 2018 Pride Festival, under the logo ‘Flying Proud’.
Darren Sewell (right), who was convicted of child rape in 1999 and broke a court order banning him from contact with children in 2011, worked as a drag queen on the British Airways float
Sewell, who is known by the stage name Crystal Couture (right), wore a cabin crew costume on the float that toured Brighton for the Pride Festival last month
Wearing a thick black wig, thick make-up, false eyelashes, stockings, high-heeled shoes and a blue cabin crew costume, Sewell can be seen posing for publicity photographs with full-time British Airways staff.
The drag queen, who makes jokes about paedophile BBC star Jimmy Savile in his stage act, posed for pictures with BA staff on Brighton’s iconic pebble beach as well as on the British Airways float, which was named BA2018.
Sewell, 34, was convicted of four counts of rape of a boy under 16 in 1999 and was sentenced to three years.
He was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register and was banned from having any contact with children.
Sewell was convicted of breaching the order banning him from contact with minors in 2011 after he was found working as a dancer tutor with children.
His official website, under his stage name Crystal Couture, describes his act as ‘for audiences large and small and for all ages’ and ‘available for weddings, christenings, birthdays, and celebrations if [sic] types’.
His impersonations include ‘the famous, Tina Turner, Kylie, DSB Dame Shirley Bassey, Amy Winehouse, [and] Diana Ross’. Other characters he takes on are ‘Carmen Miranda, Liza Minelli and Cilla Black’.
Wearing a thick black wig, thick make-up, false eyelashes, stockings, high-heeled shoes and a blue cabin crew costume, Sewell can be seen posing for publicity photographs with full-time British Airways staff
Sewell, 34, was convicted of four counts of rape of a boy under 16 in 1999 and was sentenced to three years
It adds: ‘Crystal Couture show has entertained small private booking to huge audiences of 64 thousand at various Pride events.’
Last night British Airways tried to distance themselves from their association with convicted paedophile Sewell.
A British Airways spokeswoman told MailOnline: ‘He [Sewell] does not work for us. We [British Airways] used a third party entertainment agency who supplied a number of people for the event.’
The BA spokeswoman added: ‘It is not a British Airways uniform, it is a cabin crew fancy dress costume.’
In its mission statement about sponsoring the 2018 Pride Festival British Airways stated: ‘British Airways are proud to Brighton to the world and the world to Brighton!
‘We take great pride in transporting our modern British values to the world and are immensely thrilled to sponsor Brighton Pride 2018!
'Flying Proud (Our LGBTQ+ network) passionately champions diversity and inclusion across the airline, providing a voice for colleagues and customers, to celebrate inclusion and diversity in all its colours!
'As the nation’s flag carrier we invite you to join our family, to embody your nation’s pride and help us deliver service at our hospitable best.’
Darren Sewell declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline.
A British Airways spokeswoman said: ‘He [Sewell] does not work for us. We [British Airways] used a third party entertainment agency who supplied a number of people for the event’
The BA spokeswoman added: ‘It is not a British Airways uniform, it is a cabin crew fancy dress costume’
![A British Airways spokeswoman said: ‘He [Sewell] does not work for us. We [British Airways] used a third party entertainment agency who supplied a number of people for the event’](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/09/07/17/4FD7D5DC00000578-0-image-a-5_1536336484746.jpg)
