The retired chief constable of West Midlands Police has been formally referred to the police watchdog over the controversial decision to ban supporters of Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending a match last year.
Watchdog Launches Investigation into Conduct
Craig Guildford, 52, announced his immediate retirement from the force on Friday, 16 January 2026. The following Monday, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster confirmed he had made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). This relates to any conduct matters involving the former chief constable surrounding the fan ban for the Europa League match at Villa Park on 6 November.
Mr Foster stated that the events had caused a significant loss of public confidence, particularly within certain communities, which he deemed unacceptable. He emphasised his expectation for the force to uphold the highest standards at all times.
Inaccurate Report and 'AI Hallucination'
The ban was implemented by the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) based on police advice citing safety concerns. However, a subsequent review ordered by the Home Secretary and conducted by Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Andy Cooke uncovered serious flaws in the intelligence report provided by West Midlands Police.
The review identified eight inaccuracies. One notable error was a reference to a non-existent match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham United, which was found to be an "AI hallucination" generated by the Microsoft Copilot tool. Other inaccuracies included overstating police deployments in Amsterdam and unfounded claims linking fans to the Israeli Defence Forces.
IOPC Director General Rachel Watson confirmed the investigation, stating there were "many unanswered questions" regarding the preparation of the report, the checks on its accuracy, and whether officers breached professional standards.
Apologies and a Damning Verdict
Following Mr Guildford's retirement, Acting Chief Constable Scott Green described Sir Andy Cooke's findings as "damning". He acknowledged the force's actions had damaged trust with the public, and specifically with Jewish communities locally, nationally, and internationally.
Mr Green issued an unreserved apology and confirmed he had asked Acting Deputy Chief Constable Jen Mattinson to make a separate voluntary referral to the IOPC regarding senior officers' conduct. He committed the force to learning from the events and working to restore public confidence.
Before stepping down, Mr Guildford had apologised for giving incorrect evidence to the Home Affairs Committee, insisting it was never his intention to mislead MPs. He attributed his departure to a "political and media frenzy" he said was harming the force's work.
The Cooke review concluded there was no evidence antisemitism motivated the ban, but highlighted an "imbalance" in the information used to make the decision. The IOPC's independent investigation is now underway to establish full accountability.
