Alex McIntyre<\/span>West Midlands<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n The chief constable of West Midlands Police has retired after damning criticism of a decision to ban Israeli fans from a match against Aston Villa.<\/p>\n Craig Guildford’s retirement was confirmed on Friday after both Downing Street and the home secretary said this week they had lost confidence in his leadership.<\/p>\n He faced numerous calls to resign after apologising for providing incorrect evidence to MPs, which included the denial that AI was used in a report which led to the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the game on 6 November.<\/p>\n Announcing his retirement, Guildford, 52, did not offer an apology and blamed what he described as the “political and media frenzy” for his decision to step down.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n “I have carefully considered my position and concluded that retirement is in the best interests of the organisation, myself and my family,” he said.<\/p>\n “It has been the honour of my career serving as the chief constable of West Midlands Police.”<\/p>\n In a statement to reporters, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Simon Foster said he welcomed the decision and was “pleased this outcome had been reached”.<\/p>\n “That has prevented what might otherwise have been a complex procedure that would have caused significant distraction, impact and cost to West Midlands Police and the wider West Midlands,” he added.<\/p>\n Foster said he was pleased the outcome was reached “having regard to due process and the law”.<\/p>\n “It was important this matter was resolved in a balanced, calm, fair, measured and respectful manner.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The backlash came after a preliminary review by the policing watchdog found “confirmation bias” influenced the decision to bar supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending Villa Park.<\/p>\n His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Andy Cooke said several “inaccuracies” had been included in a report given to Birmingham’s safety advisory group by West Midlands Police, including reference to a non-existent fixture between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham.<\/p>\n In evidence to MPs, Guildford initially suggested the erroneous information had been identified in a Google search or through social media, but in a letter to the Home Affairs Committee (HAC) published on Wednesday he said it was the result of using Microsoft Copilot, an AI tool.<\/p>\n Sir Andy said the force had also “overstated” the extent to which disorder at a previous match in Amsterdam was attributable to Maccabi fans.<\/p>\n Other criticisms included exaggerating the number of Dutch police officers deployed during that fixture. <\/p>\n He also found the force in its advice had overstated the threat posed by the Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters, while understating the risks posed to the Israeli fans.<\/p>\n In its response to the criticism, West Midlands Police said it was “extremely sorry” for the errors, adding: “None of this was done with an intent of deliberate distortion or discrimination.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Guildford had done “the right thing” in retiring.<\/p>\n “The findings of the chief inspector were damning,” the Birmingham Ladywood MP said. “They set out a catalogue of failings that have harmed trust in West Midlands Police.”<\/p>\n She thanked him for his years of service and paid tribute to the work of officers at the force who “keep their community safe every day”.<\/p>\n “Today marks a crucial first step to rebuilding trust and confidence in the force amongst all the communities they serve,” she added.<\/p>\n The Campaign Against Antisemitism has also called for Foster to resign.<\/p>\n In a statement, chief executive Gideon Falter accused West Midlands Police of having “lied and obfuscated, victim-blaming Jews instead of taking on the Islamists”.<\/p>\n “His retirement, after the pitiful failure of West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster to sack him, should result in the resignation of Mr Foster as well,” he said.<\/p>\n The Independent Office for Police Conduct said it would continue to look into the force’s actions following Guildford’s retirement. <\/p>\n Director general Rachel Watson said it had been examining a “wealth of evidence” and would assess whether any independent conduct investigations should be carried out.<\/p>\n “If that is the case, we’ve said we are prepared to use our powers of initiative to independently investigate in the absence of formal referrals,” she added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Independent MP Ayoub Khan, whose Birmingham Perry Barr constituency includes Villa Park, where the match took place, said Guildford’s retirement marked a “dark and shameful chapter”.<\/p>\n When the decision to ban Maccabi fans was taken in November, Khan backed plans to either cancel or relocate the match.<\/p>\n He has also repeatedly called for the chief constable to remain in post.<\/p>\n “We’ve all just witnessed one of the biggest injustices of our time,” he added.<\/p>\n “A chief constable has been sacrificed not for gross misconduct in public office but for doing his job.”<\/p>\n Repeating remarks he made in the Commons on Wednesday, he said Guildford was “thrown under the bus because he didn’t conform to political pressure”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Guildford first became a police constable in 1994 and has served as the head of West Midlands Police since 2022.<\/p>\n He had many successes in his three years heading the force, which included improving the handling of 999 calls and and recording a 6% fall in crime by October 2025.<\/p>\n Foster said deputy chief constable Scott Green has been appointed acting chief constable as the force sought to “rebuild trust and confidence” in the West Midlands.<\/p>\n Green has appointed Jen Mattinson as acting deputy chief constable, the force confirmed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"West](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/bcf1\/live\/e1aea1f0-f310-11f0-9c83-cf045898c668.jpg.webp\")
West Midlands Police<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/static.files.bbci.co.uk\/bbcdotcom\/web\/20260113-125315-2e65791d43-web-2.37.1-4\/grey-placeholder.png\")
![\"House](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/f148\/live\/baf1efe0-f301-11f0-b2ab-f70ba525289e.jpg.webp\")
House of Commons<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘Sacrificed for doing his job’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n