A former chief constable who stepped down amid the Maccabi Tel Aviv supporter ban row is now being investigated by a watchdog for gross misconduct. 

Supporters of the Israeli club 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.

The report is said to have been produced using AI and featured eight errors, including overstating Maccabi supporters’ role in disorder in Amsterdam in 2024 and a reference to a non-existent game between Maccabi and West Ham, according to the police watchdog. 

Ex-West Midlands Police chief constable Craig Guildford will be investigated for gross misconduct, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said, over claims he failed to ensure due diligence in the preparation and presentation of the document.

The decision to ban the Israeli fans from the fixture caused an almighty political row, with the force accused of caving to pressure from local Islamist agitators and politically motivated councillors. 

Mr Guildford eventually announced his retirement in January after losing the confidence of the Home Secretary. 

The watchdog announced today that 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.

The IOPC 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’.

Birmingham City Council’s multi-agency safety advisory group made the final decision to ban the supporters based on police advice. 

It is alleged the briefing document ‘gave an imbalanced view of the risk away fans posed’, contributing to the decision.

Ex-West Midlands Police chief constable Craig Guildford will be investigated for gross misconduct, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said

The decision to ban the Israeli fans caused an almighty political row, with the force accused of caving to pressure from local Islamist agitators and politically motivated councillors

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.’

The IOPC said it had ‘examined more than 600 pieces of evidence, including operational documents, reports, intelligence research, minutes of meetings, and a large volume of correspondence including emails and messages’.

The watchdog said: ‘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’s 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 they too lacked balance in references to Maccabi supporters.’

A report by the Home Affairs Committee this year said it could not rule out that political pressure had played a part in the decision to ban the Israeli fans. 

The decision led to widespread criticism from political figures, including then prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, who said it was the ‘wrong decision’ and ultimately led to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood saying she no longer had confidence in Mr Guildford’s leadership.

Under pressure to resign from his role as chief constable, Mr Guildford announced he was retiring after facing what he called a ‘political and media frenzy’.