Former West Midlands Police chief facing gross misconduct probe over Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban
Maccabi supporters were barred from travelling to a Europa League game against Aston Villa at Villa Park in November.
A former chief constable and three other officers are being investigated by a watchdog over the Maccabi Tel Aviv supporter ban row.
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Maccabi supporters were barred from travelling to a Europa League game against Aston Villa at Villa Park in November, following safety concerns based on an inaccurate report prepared by West Midlands Police.
Eight errors were found in the report, including overstating Maccabi supporters’ role in disorder in Amsterdam in 2024, and a reference to a non-existent game between Maccabi and West Ham, said to have been produced by Microsoft Copilot.
Ex-West Midlands Police chief Craig Guildford will be investigated for gross misconduct, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said, over claims he failed to ensure due diligence over the document.
Another officer and staff member are also facing investigation for potential gross misconduct over the mistakes, along with two other officers who helped the force plan for the game who face accusations of potential misconduct.
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The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said its initial probe found Craig Guildford may have committed gross misconduct while three other officers and a staff member are also being investigated.
The watchdog said evidence indicates Mr Guildford, who retired in January, “may have had oversight on an intelligence briefing document presented to the safety advisory group (SAG) that was later reported to have contained inaccuracies and misleading information”.
It is alleged the briefing document “gave an imbalanced view of the risk away fans posed”, contributing to the decision to ban the supporters.
IOPC director of engagement Derrick Campbell said: “Our investigation to date has been to assess whether there is an indication anyone may have breached one or more of the standards of police professional behaviour.
“We have examined a wealth of material, hundreds of pieces of evidence, and believe there is an indication some people serving with the police may potentially have behaved in a manner that could justify disciplinary proceedings.
“They have been informed their conduct will be investigated. At the end of our investigation, we will decide if anyone has a case to answer and should face a misconduct meeting or hearing.”