Pride in London CEO Faces Theft Probe

By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – LGBT News (London)

LONDON — (January 14, 2026) — The suspended chief executive of Pride in London is facing a High Court showdown after being accused of blocking an internal theft and bullying investigation by refusing to return company financial access, devices, and digital systems.

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Court documents filed in London’s High Court allege that Christopher Joell-Deshields, 55, has failed to hand back company bank account access, login credentials, and a work-issued laptop, preventing investigators from determining the full scope of alleged misconduct inside one of the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ organisations.

Lawyers for London LGBT Community Pride CIC, the nonprofit that runs Pride in London, told the court that Joell-Deshields has “frustrated” their disciplinary process by withholding key digital and financial access needed to complete the inquiry.

Joell-Deshields, who was suspended as CEO in September 2025, appeared before the High Court this week, where he denied one count of contempt relating to the return of accounts and systems, but admitted failing to submit a sworn statement confirming that he had complied with a court order.

That injunction, granted in September, required him to hand back:

Company laptops and devices
Bank and payment system access
Social media and internal platform credentials

The organisation accuses him of two separate counts of contempt of court for failing to comply.

His lawyer, Dr John Brown, said Joell-Deshields disputes the claim that he withheld all property, arguing that a laptop at issue was meant to replace a personal device damaged while working for the organisation. However, he acknowledged his client did not provide the required sworn verification.

Deputy Judge Tim Maloney KC ruled that the case would proceed to a full hearing after February 10, where the court will decide what sanctions Joell-Deshields may face — including possible fines, asset seizure, or imprisonment.

The case stems from allegations that Joell-Deshields used £7,000 in sponsor-provided vouchers for luxury perfumes and Apple products, along with complaints from volunteers who accused him of bullying a disabled colleague and fostering a “toxic” workplace culture inside Pride in London.

Despite being suspended, the BBC reports that Joell-Deshields is still being paid more than £85,000 per year while the investigation — now in its seventh month — continues.

The legal battle arrives at a fragile moment for Pride organisations across the UK, many of which saw financial shortfalls and volunteer losses in 2025, forcing several events to be cancelled or scaled back.

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