Ex-Lambeth chief ordered to do unpaid work for failure to stop after drink-drive crash

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

The former top boss of Lambeth council has been disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work after he pleaded guilty to drink driving, failing to stop after a car crash and driving without insurance.

Bayo Dosunmu, who was chief executive for the local authority until his arrest earlier this year, was ordered to pay court costs of £225 at a sentencing hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on today.

Paul Goldspring, chief magistrate, told Dosunmu, 46, of Hammersmith, that he must also complete 15 days of a rehabilitation activity.

Dosunmu was driving a white Jeep on June 23, when he was involved in a crash with a blue Toyota, while it was waiting at traffic lights at the junction of Wandsworth Bridge Road and Townmead Road. He failed to stop after the crash.

The driver of the Toyota tailed Dosunmu and eventually had to pull in front of the Jeep to get him to stop. Police were called and Dosunmu appeared to be slurring his words. He was breathalysed and found to have a breath alcohol level of 100 mg (per 100ml of breath), almost three times the legal limit.

Dosunmu pleaded guilty to drink driving, failing to stop after a car crash and driving without insurance at a previous hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in August.

He pleaded not guilty to the possession of cocaine at the same hearing. He is due to be tried for Class A drug possession at Isleworth Crown Court, in September 2025.

Sentencing the 46-year-old for the driving offences, Mr Goldspring said he accepted that Dosunmu’s remorse was ‘genuine’ but said it was clear that he had had more to drink on the night than he accepted.

He added: “You have previous good character. There’s significant impact on your career. You have lost your job. You have led a blameless life and it has been highlighted you have led a life in public service.”

The court heard how, since losing his £190,000 per year role at the council in July, Dosunmu had been relying on friends and family for assistance. He was appointed chief executive of the Labour-led council in April 2022, taking over from Andrew Travers.

Since his departure, Fiona Connolly, Lambeth’s corporate director of housing and adult social care, has been acting chief executive. The council is currently recruiting for a new top boss and expects to finish recruitment by the end of the year.

Pictured top: Bayo Dosunmu arrives at Westminster Magistrates’ Court (Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga)