Craig Guildford, one of the most senior police leaders in the United Kingdom, has announced his retirement as chief constable of West Midlands Police after a major inquiry found that his force used exaggerated and incorrect intelligence to justify banning fans of an Israeli football club from attending a match in Birmingham.
The 52-year-old officer, who has served in policing for 32 years, will step down on Friday and will receive his full pension. His decision comes after weeks of intense political pressure, public criticism, and growing concern that the controversy was damaging trust in the police.
The issue began with a Europa League football match scheduled for November 2025 between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv. West Midlands Police advised a local safety committee that allowing Maccabi fans to attend could be dangerous. Based on this advice, the committee recommended banning the visiting supporters.
At the time, the decision caused outrage among many Jewish groups and football fans. Some described it as discriminatory and said it appeared to give in to antisemitism. The police defended their position, saying they were acting on intelligence that suggested Maccabi supporters had been involved in violence during an earlier match against Ajax in Amsterdam in 2024.
However, an independent investigation later found that this intelligence was badly handled and, in several key parts, simply wrong.
“Exaggerated and untrue” claims
The inquiry was carried out by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, led by Chief Inspector Sir Andy Cooke. His report was highly critical of West Midlands Police and described serious failures in how information was gathered, checked, and shared.
According to the report, claims passed to the safety advisory group were inaccurate, overstated, or completely untrue. These included:
- The number of police officers deployed in Amsterdam
- Alleged links between Maccabi fans and the Israel Defense Forces
- Claims that Muslim communities were targeted
- Reports of mass removal of Palestinian flags
- Attacks on police officers and taxi drivers
One particularly shocking claim told to the safety group was that Maccabi supporters had thrown Muslims into a river. In reality, Dutch police records showed that an Israeli fan was the one who had been thrown into the water. English officers had access to these official reports but still allowed the false version to be shared.
Dutch police also rejected the idea that Israeli fans were mainly responsible for violence in Amsterdam. They said trouble before the match involved both Israeli supporters and pro-Palestinian protesters provoking each other.
Sir Andy Cooke concluded that the threat posed by Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was exaggerated, while the real risk that the fans themselves might be attacked in Birmingham was not taken seriously enough. Intelligence showed that some people in the city were preparing to arm themselves, but this was underplayed.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the inspectorate’s findings as “devastating”.
Home secretary withdraws confidence
After the report was published, Mahmood publicly stated that she no longer had confidence in Guildford’s leadership.
She said the chief constable should have ensured much more careful and professional work was done, especially because the match was considered a matter of national importance.
Quoting the inspector’s report, she said the problems were “symptomatic of a force not applying the necessary strategic oversight and not paying enough attention to important matters of detail, including at the most senior levels.”
Mahmood added that, as head of the force, Guildford carried the ultimate responsibility for what went wrong.
Her statement followed criticism from the prime minister, other senior ministers, and the leader of the Conservative Party. The pressure was so strong that many within policing believed his position had become impossible.
Attempts to hold on
Despite the growing criticism, Guildford initially tried to stay in his role. His job came with a salary of more than £220,000 a year, and he reportedly wanted to wait until at least 27 January, when he was due to be questioned publicly by the police and crime commissioner.
However, the controversy showed no signs of fading. Some fellow chief constables felt his continued presence was harming the reputation of policing across the country.
Eventually, Guildford decided to step down.
The decision was formally announced at 4 pm on Friday by the West Midlands police and crime commissioner, Simon Foster.
According to Foster, Guildford had “acted with honor and in the best interests of our region and West Midlands Police.”
“It was important that this matter was resolved in a balanced, calm, fair, measured, and respectful manner,” he continued.
Foster also acknowledged that the force had faced intense public and political scrutiny because of the advice it gave about the football match.
New leadership, old challenges
Scott Green, the deputy chief constable, will take over as temporary head of the force.
Foster said he and Green had already met to discuss how to rebuild trust and confidence among communities across the West Midlands.
This will not be easy.
The case has raised serious questions about how police use intelligence, how technology such as artificial intelligence is checked, and how cultural and political tensions are handled during high-profile events.
Guildford acknowledged during two appearances before the Home Affairs Committee in Parliament that a reference to a fictitious football game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham was included in the police dossier used to justify the ban.
He said this mistake occurred because information had been gathered incorrectly using AI tools, without proper human verification.
These admissions led to even more criticism from MPs and the public.
Reaction from Jewish community
The Board of Deputies of British Jews welcomed news of Guildford’s departure.
In a statement, the organisation said it was ready to work with his successor to “restore confidence”.
For many in the Jewish community, the decision to ban Maccabi supporters had felt unfair and dangerous, suggesting that Israeli or Jewish fans were automatically violent or unwelcome.
Community leaders said the inquiry confirmed what they had feared: that poor information and weak leadership had led to a deeply flawed decision.
A career ends in controversy
Craig Guildford became chief constable of West Midlands Police in 2022 and was previously praised for improving crime-fighting efforts and public service standards in the region.
Simon Foster had earlier credited him with modernising parts of the force and strengthening operational performance.
But his career will now be remembered mainly for the scandal surrounding the Maccabi Tel Aviv match.
Supporters of Guildford say he spent more than three decades serving the public and should not be judged only by his final months in office. Critics argue that senior leaders must be held accountable when mistakes have national consequences.
Wider impact on policing
The case has sparked a wider debate in the UK about:
- How police collect and verify intelligence
- The use of artificial intelligence in security decisions
- The handling of sensitive issues involving race, religion, and international conflict
- The independence and accountability of police leadership
Experts say the incident shows how easily unverified information can spread and influence major decisions, especially in high-pressure situations.
There are also concerns that similar mistakes could happen again unless stronger systems of checking and oversight are introduced.
What happens next?
Simon Foster will now begin the process of finding a permanent replacement for Guildford to lead the Birmingham-based force.
The new chief constable will face the difficult task of repairing damaged relationships with local communities, rebuilding confidence with national leaders, and ensuring that future decisions are based on accurate and reliable information.
For West Midlands Police, the episode is a painful reminder that trust, once lost, is hard to regain.
For Craig Guildford, it marks the end of a long career not with celebration, but with controversy, criticism, and an urgent lesson for policing across the country.
