Ex-West Midlands Police Chief being investigated by IOPC over Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban
Three officers and another staff member are also under investigation for possible gross misconduct
Former West Midlands Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford, plus three officers and a staff member, are being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over the banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a Europa League match at Villa Park last year.
The IOPC launched an independent investigation in January to examine the involvement of West Midlands Police officers in the planning and preparation for the match against Aston Villa on 6 November last year at which Maccabi fans were prohibited.
The decision attracted national and international debate. and the IOPC proactively called-in the matter for independent scrutiny into West Midlands Police. It subsequently received a conduct referral from the West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner in relation to Mr Guildford.
Over 600 pieces of evidence have been examined by the IOPC, including operational documents, reports, intelligence research, minutes of meetings, and a large volume of correspondence including emails and messages. We have also taken witness statements and sought expert witness advice.
It has now assessed that there is an indication Mr Guildford, a senior officer, and a staff member may have committed gross misconduct.
Possible gross misconduct
The IOPC said evidence presently available indicates Mr 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 said it also considers Mr Guildford may have failed to ensure due diligence and the highest level of scrutiny over such an influential document.
It’s alleged the briefing – presented to the SAG on 24 October and which underpinned the decision to ban Maccabi fans – gave an imbalanced view of the risk away fans posed compared to risks they may have faced.
A senior serving officer, who played a lead role in compiling the briefing, is under investigation for allegedly failing to ensure its accuracy, and that they may not have accurately represented some information which could have resulted in the briefing lacking impartiality.
The IOPC said it will also examine 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’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.
The investigation continues
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.
“All our decisions will be kept under review as our investigation progresses; it’s important to note that the serving of notices does not necessarily mean disciplinary proceedings will follow.”
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable at West Midlands Police, Jen Mattinson, said: “On Monday 19 January 2026 the Acting Chief Constable and I took up our roles.
"On my first full day in the role, I undertook a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) regarding any recordable conduct matters by senior officers and staff in West Midlands Police in relation to these events.
“This referral was made prior to the IOPC announcement to use their ‘power of initiative’ to independently investigate if any officer or staff member may have a case to answer for misconduct.
“We recognise that the public’s trust in West Midlands Police has been damaged by this event and we have worked hard over the last seven months - and continue to do so - to rebuild confidence in the force.
“We will continue to fully engage and cooperate with the IOPC as their work continues.”