A Bermudian living in England is under fire for allegedly slowing an investigation into accusations of bullying and misappropriating funds for an LGBTQ+ group.

The BBC reported on Tuesday that Christopher Joell-Deshields appeared in the London High Court, accused of contempt of court during an investigation into his time as head of Pride in London.

Mr Joell-Deshields was accused of spending £7,000 (about $9,400) worth of vouchers donated by sponsors on luxury perfumes and Apple tech products.

Volunteers also accused him of creating a “toxic” work culture at the organisation, which included sending bullying messages to a disabled volunteer over WhatsApp.

He was suspended as chief executive of Pride in London, one Britain’s largest and longest-running LGBTQ+ Pride parades, and removed as its director after a leave of absence at the end of August 2025.

The court heard that Mr Joell-Deshields was ordered to hand over company devices, as well as access to bank accounts and social-media profiles, while the disciplinary investigation continued.

However, lawyers for the organisation claimed he failed to adhere to this order and accused him of two counts of contempt of court.

Mr Joell-Deshields pleaded not guilty to failing to hand over the accounts, but admitted failing to submit a statement confirming that he had complied with the order.

John Brown, for the defence, explained that his client denied failing to return all necessary information and equipment, but accepted not providing a witness statement verifying that he returned the property.

Asked about a laptop that had not been returned, Dr Brown said: “His case is that though the laptop was purchased by the company, it was purchased to replace his laptop that was damaged at work.”

Deputy judge Tim Maloney said a trial for the remaining charge would proceed on the first available date after February 10.

The hearing will address what sanctions Mr Joell-Deshields could face for not providing a witness statement and hear arguments from Pride in London’s lawyers regarding the first contempt charge.

If convicted, the result could be imprisonment, fines or assets being seized, according to the BBC.

The investigation into Mr Joell-Deshields, the broadcaster reported, has reached its seventh month, during which time he received an £85,000 annual salary while under suspension — equivalent to about $115,000.

Mr Joell-Deshields was made CEO of Pride in London in 2021, and the position has been taken up in the interim by Rebecca Paisis since September 2025.

The organisation uses more than 100 year-round volunteers and several paid staff members.

Mr Joell-Deshields’s roles in England included working as the assistant director and office manager of the Bermuda Government Office in London in 2009.

He previously served as a business development manager for the former Bermuda Department of Tourism’s London office after a lengthy career in the hospitality industry in Britain.

Ms Paisis wrote in a statement on Pride in London’s website: “The London LGBT Community Pride CIC (LLCP), which holds the licence to deliver Pride in London, has been engaged in a complex process to regain control of key organisational systems from Christopher Joell-Deshields, who has been on a leave of absence since the 29th of August.

“Regaining control of these systems has unfortunately been a long and protracted exercise, including obtaining a mandatory injunction granted by a High Court judge against Mr Joell-Deshields on September 12, requiring the return of control of operational systems and bank accounts to the organisation.

“The board has also been taking necessary steps to independently investigate a number of allegations raised to the board of directors against Mr Joell-Deshields.

“At present, the board is not in a position to comment further until the matter is concluded.

“However, I would like to thank all our community, volunteers, partners and stakeholders for their unwavering support, patience and trust as we navigate this period.”

Mr Joell-Deshields has no association with OutBermuda beyond successfully suggesting a theme for the 2023 Bermuda Pride celebrations.

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