Former West Midlands Police Chief Under Investigation Over Israeli Fans Ban
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating former West Midlands Police chief constable Craig Guildford for potential gross misconduct. The probe centres on the force’s decision to ban supporters of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending their Europa League match against Aston Villa at Villa Park on 6 November 2025.
Police intelligence presented to the Safety Advisory Group contained multiple inaccuracies.
These included overstated claims about fan disorder in Amsterdam and a fabricated reference to a previous match against West Ham generated by artificial intelligence tools. The errors contributed to the high risk assessment that led to the ban.
The decision sparked widespread controversy and political pressure. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood later stated she had lost confidence in Guildford’s leadership. He retired in January 2026.
The IOPC has also notified three other officers and a staff member as part of the same investigation, which has examined more than 600 pieces of evidence relating to the planning and intelligence for the fixture.
