A former chief constable is now under investigation by the police watchdog over his force's contentious decision to ban supporters of an Israeli football club from attending a match in Birmingham.
Watchdog Review Uncovers "Failure of Leadership"
Retired Chief Constable Craig Guildford has been voluntarily referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The referral concerns the move by West Midlands Police to prohibit fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv from the club's Europa Conference League fixture against Aston Villa at Villa Park last November.
The referral follows a damning review of the force's handling of the incident. The review found evidence of "confirmation bias" and a significant "failure of leadership" within the command structure. It highlighted eight specific inaccuracies in an official police report prepared for the event.
One of the most notable errors involved an "AI hallucination" where the report referenced a non-existent football match, raising serious questions about the rigour of the planning process.
Home Secretary Loses Confidence
The fallout from the review was swift and severe. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood publicly stated that Mr. Guildford "no longer has my confidence" following the report's publication. Shortly after this declaration, the chief constable announced his retirement from the force.
The decision to refer the matter to the IOPC was made by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster. He cited the profound impact the episode has had on public and community confidence in the police service as a key reason for the referral.
Independent Investigation Launched
The IOPC has confirmed it will now conduct a full, independent investigation. Its remit will be to determine whether any serving police officers or staff members have a case to answer for misconduct relating to the planning and decision-making for the match.
This probe will scrutinise the chain of command and the processes that led to the controversial ban, which sparked significant debate about policing, safety, and inclusivity at sporting events.
