Former police chief referred to watchdog over decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans
Ex-police chief referred to watchdog over Israeli fan ban
- Retired Chief Constable Craig Guildford has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from an Aston Villa match last November.
- Guildford announced his retirement after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated she had lost confidence in him following a “damning” watchdog review of West Midlands Police.
- The review found “confirmation bias” and a “failure of leadership”, highlighting eight inaccuracies in a police report, including an “AI hallucination” regarding a non-existent game.
- West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster made the voluntary referral to the IOPC, citing a significant impact on public and community confidence.
- The IOPC has confirmed it will conduct an independent investigation to determine if any officers or staff members have a case to answer for misconduct concerning the match planning.