Ex-chief constable investigated over ban on Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv fans

Mounted police officers wearing high-vis jackets over uniform stand outside Aston Villa Football ground. Behind them many other officers wearing bright yellow jackets can be seen — Image caption,

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were not allowed to attend the Europa League fixture at Villa Park on 6 November 2025

ByEleanor LawsonWest Midlands

The former chief constable of West Midlands Police is being investigated by the police watchdog for gross misconduct over the banning of Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a match against Aston Villa.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has given notice that it is investigating Craig Guildford, as well as three police officers and a staff member.

The IOPC launched an independent investigation in January to examine the involvement of West Midlands Police officers in the planning and preparation of the match at Villa Park on 6 November 2025.

The ban attracted national and international debate, with the government saying it would do everything in its power to have it overturned.

The IOPC said evidence indicated that Guildford “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.

The police watchdog added: “We consider Mr Guildford may have failed to ensure due diligence and the highest level of scrutiny over such an influential document.”

Craig Guildford, a man wearing ceremonial police uniform, looks at a line-up of police officers who are dressed in full police uniform. — Image caption,

Craig Guildford retired in January after both Downing Street and the home secretary said they had lost confidence in his leadership

A senior serving officer, who played a lead role in compiling the briefing, is under investigation for allegedly failing to ensure its accuracy.

The watchdog said the officer may not have accurately represented some information which could have resulted in the briefing “lacking impartiality”.

They are also examining whether the officer “may have failed to appropriately handle sensitive intelligence” contained in the report, before it was shared with SAG members.

The staff member, who was involved in researching and compiling intelligence for the game, is alleged to have sourced inaccurate information from AI searches and took no subsequent action to help ensure it was not included in briefings.

Two other senior serving officers who played important roles in the force’s planning for the game have been notified they are being investigated for potential misconduct.

It is alleged one was not sufficiently diligent in the exercise of their duties in overseeing the operation, including balancing operational needs alongside engaging with local Jewish communities, and that they displayed a lack of impartiality towards Maccabi fans in both external and internal communications.

The other officer will be investigated in relation to their oversight of the briefing document and an allegation that they too lacked balance in references to Maccabi supporters.