The former chief executive of Pride in London has been dismissed following accusations he used £7,000 worth of sponsor-donated vouchers for personal purchases, including high-end fragrances and Apple devices.
Volunteer directors at London LGBT Community Pride, the community interest company responsible for organising the annual celebration, brought forward the claims against Christopher Joell-Deshields.
The vouchers had been provided by a sponsor and were meant to serve as raffle prizes and thank-you gifts for the organisation's volunteers.
The 55-year-old, who has held the role since 2021, denies all allegations against him.
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Pride in London confirmed on Tuesday an independent investigation had concluded, resulting in Mr Joell-Deshields' termination, with his subsequent appeal rejected by an independent council.
Beyond the voucher allegations, the volunteer directors also raised concerns about workplace conduct within the organisation through a whistleblowing disclosure, claiming a "bullying culture" existed at Pride in London.
The organisation operates with approximately 100 volunteers throughout the year and just two paid staff members.
On the day of the annual event itself, around 1,000 volunteers help run proceedings.
Christopher Joell-Deshields was accused of spending £7,000 worth of sponsor-donated vouchers for personal purchases
|PRIDE IN LONDON
Corporate sponsorship provides the majority of funding for the celebration, which costs roughly £1.3million annually to stage.
The Greater London Authority also contributes approximately £175,000 each year through the Mayor of London's office.
Interim chief executive Rebecca Paisis is now tasked with introducing new governance arrangements to ensure the organisation meets the highest operational standards.
This year's Pride event remains scheduled for July 4 and is expected to proceed as planned.
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Mr Joell-Deshields was placed on suspension in September 2025 when the allegations first emerged.
During the seven months between his suspension and departure in March, he continued to receive his full annual salary of £87,500.
The matter has also spawned ongoing legal proceedings in the High Court, with the case expected to reach its conclusion within the coming weeks.
The dispute centres on allegations that Mr Joell-Deshields attempted to obstruct the internal investigation into his conduct.
In September 2025, a High Court judge directed Mr Joell-Deshields to hand over control of Pride in London assets, including bank accounts, internal systems and equipment.
He returned to court in January 2026, facing two contempt charges for allegedly failing to comply with this order. Legal representatives for Pride in London argued this constituted an attempt to obstruct their investigation.
His lawyers explained that a company laptop had not been returned because the organisation had purchased it for him after his personal device was damaged during work duties.
He admitted to the second contempt charge relating to his failure to submit a signed statement confirming all property had been returned.
Last week, Deputy High Court Judge Matthew Butt KC issued an order stating the court would rule in Pride in London's favour unless Mr Joell-Deshields files a defence within a fortnight.
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