Ex-chief constable investigated over Israeli fan ban
- Media @ Real Terryo
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
The former chief constable of West Midlands Police is being investigated for gross misconduct over the decision to prevent Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending an Aston Villa Europa League match.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has notified Craig Guildford, along with three serving police officers and a member of police staff, that their conduct is being investigated.
The investigation centres on the planning and preparation for the match at Villa Park on 6 November 2025, when more than 700 police officers were deployed.
The decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the fixture attracted widespread national and international criticism. The government said at the time that it would do everything in its power to have the decision overturned.
According to the IOPC, evidence suggests Mr Guildford may have had oversight of an intelligence briefing presented to the match's Safety Advisory Group. The watchdog believes the document may have contained inaccurate or misleading information and presented an imbalanced assessment of the risks posed by away supporters.
The IOPC said Mr Guildford may have failed to ensure sufficient scrutiny and due diligence was applied to the document.
A senior serving officer who was involved in compiling the briefing is also being investigated over allegations that information was not accurately represented, potentially leaving the document lacking impartiality. Investigators are also examining the handling of sensitive intelligence contained within it.
A member of staff involved in researching and compiling intelligence for the fixture is alleged to have sourced inaccurate information through AI searches and failed to take action to ensure it was not subsequently included in briefings.
Two further senior officers are being investigated over their roles in planning and overseeing the operation. One is alleged to have failed to properly balance operational requirements with engagement with local Jewish communities and to have shown a lack of impartiality towards Maccabi supporters in communications.
The other officer is being investigated over their oversight of the briefing document and similar allegations concerning the balance of references to Maccabi fans.
IOPC examining hundreds of pieces of evidence
The IOPC said its investigation has examined more than 600 pieces of evidence, including operational documents, intelligence reports, meeting minutes, research and extensive correspondence.
Derrick Campbell, the IOPC's director of engagement, said the investigation was assessing whether there were indications that police personnel may have breached professional standards.
Those under investigation have been informed that their conduct is being examined. The IOPC will decide at the conclusion of its investigation whether anyone has a case to answer and whether misconduct proceedings should follow.
However, the watchdog stressed that being served with an investigation notice does not mean disciplinary proceedings will necessarily take place.
Police force admits public confidence has been damaged
West Midlands Police's temporary deputy chief constable, Jen Mattinson, said she made a voluntary referral to the IOPC shortly after taking up her role concerning conduct matters involving senior officers and staff.
The force acknowledged that the controversy had damaged public trust.
"We recognise that the public's trust in West Midlands Police has been damaged by this event," Ms Mattinson said, adding that the force had been working to rebuild confidence over the past seven months.
The force said it would continue to cooperate fully with the IOPC while the investigation continues.
Guildford retired in January, following criticism from Downing Street and the home secretary, who said they had lost confidence in his leadership.
The IOPC investigation remains ongoing, and no findings of misconduct have yet been made.
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