Drink-drive guilty pleas after crash confirm fall from grace for ex-£190k Lambeth chief

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

The former top boss of Lambeth council has pleaded guilty to drink driving, failing to stop after a car crash and driving without insurance.

Bayo Dosunmu, who was chief executive of the local authority until his arrest earlier this year, admitted to the offences at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.

But Dosunmu, 46, of Hammersmith, pleaded not guilty to possession of cocaine at the same hearing. Dosunmu, wearing a dark suit and tie, spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address.

He asked for the cocaine charge to be heard at crown court and will appear at Isleworth Crown Court in west London on August 29 in relation to the Class A drug possession charge.

Dosunmu stepped down from his £190,000 per year role at the council in July after being charged with the offences the previous month.

Dosunmu was driving a white Jeep on June 23 when he was involved with a collision 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 court heard 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, the court heard.

Paul Goldspring, senior district judge, imposed an interim driving ban on Dosunmu and released him on unconditional bail.

He will be sentenced for the offences he pleaded guilty to at a later date.

Dosunmu was appointed chief executive of the council in April 2022, taking over from Andrew Travers.

Since his departure in July, Fiona Connolly, Lambeth’s corporate director of housing and adult social care, has been acting chief executive.

The council intends to begin recruiting for a new permanent chief executive soon.

Pictured top: Bayo Dosunmu (Picture: Lambeth council)