In a concerning development, the former chief constable of West Midlands Police, Craig Guildford, has been referred to the police watchdog over his decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from attending a match against Aston Villa last November, just days after he announced his retirement.
The 52-year-old Guildford announced his departure from the force on Friday, following a scathing review by the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, which found “confirmation bias” and a “failure of leadership” within West Midlands Police. Despite this, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, who had the power to dismiss Guildford but did not, praised the former chief’s conduct.
However, in a surprising move, Foster has now made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), stating that the matter had “a significant impact on public confidence, and the confidence of particular communities in the West Midlands.” The IOPC has confirmed that it will investigate the decision to ban the Israeli football team’s fans from the November Europa League match, to determine if any officer or staff member may have a case to answer for misconduct.
The decision to ban the Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was made by the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG), based on advice from the police force. However, a review by the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Andy Cooke, found eight “inaccuracies” in the report provided by the police to the SAG, including a reference to a non-existent game between Tel Aviv and West Ham, which was later determined to be an “AI hallucination” produced by Microsoft Copilot.
The Home Secretary described the report as “devastating” and said it set out failures that let down “our entire Jewish community.” Ahead of the review’s publication, Guildford had also apologised for providing incorrect evidence to the Home Affairs Committee, where he had appeared twice over the controversy.
The IOPC’s Director General, Rachel Watson, has stated that the watchdog will now undertake a full assessment of the evidence and gather more where necessary, to establish if any officers may have breached professional standards in relation to their duties and responsibilities. This investigation will examine the briefings and intelligence reports provided to the SAG, which underpinned the decision to ban the supporters.
As the public’s trust in the police force has been shaken by this incident, the IOPC’s independent investigation will be crucial in restoring confidence and ensuring accountability for any potential wrongdoing.