The sacked Bermudian boss of Britain’s biggest LGBTQ+ festival and Pride parade is expected to come to an agreement with his former bosses in a civil contempt case brought against him.

The matter involving Christopher Joell-Deshields, 55, who ran Pride in London from 2021 until he was fired this year, was due to return to the High Court in London yesterday after a hearing on Tuesday was adjourned to allow lawyers for the parties to hold talks.

However, the court did not sit yesterday morning as expected and The Royal Gazette understands an agreement has been reached between the two sides.

A formal agreed order had yet to be made public by press time last night.

Allegations of misconduct against Mr Joell-Deshields were first reported by the national British media in September.

He was accused by unnamed volunteers of abusing his position as head of London Pride, according to The Guardian, and an inquiry was launched.

The allegations included that he spent £7,000 (about $9,400) worth of vouchers donated by sponsors on luxury perfumes and Apple tech products.

Volunteers also claimed he created a “toxic” work culture, including allegedly sending bullying messages to a disabled volunteer over WhatsApp.

In January, as reported by the BBC, Mr Joell-Deshields appeared in the High Court, where lawyers for Pride claimed he failed to obey an order to hand over company devices and account log-ins during the inquiry into his behaviour, alleging two counts of contempt of court.

He pleaded not guilty to failing to hand over the accounts but admitted failing to submit a statement confirming that he had complied with the court order.

Penalties for civil contempt in England can be immediate or suspended imprisonment for up to two years, unlimited fines and seizure of assets.

Further details of the dispute between Pride in London and Mr Joell-Deshields were expected to be given at the two-day hearing listed for this week at the Royal Courts of Justice.

It is now expected that there will be a final hearing before High Court judge Barry Cotter, on a date to be set, to determine any penalties.

Mr Joell-Deshields has “strenuously” denied the allegations against him and highlighted that there were no criminal charges or police involvement over the claims.

Pride in London announced this month that it hadfired Mr Joell-Shields, following a period of suspension.

Interim chief executive Rebecca Paisis said she was “implementing a new governance structure to ensure Pride in London, a community interest company, operates at the highest standards”.

The Pride in London parade is in Central London on July 4, when 35,000 marchers and 1.5 million spectators are expected. It is funded by corporate sponsors and a grant from the Greater London Authority.

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