Retired West Midlands police chief Craig Guildford referred to watchdog

Former West Midlands police chief Craig Guildford has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) following an inquiry into the banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a Europa League game against Aston Villa in November. The inquiry, led by Andy Cooke, found that West Midlands police "greatly exaggerated" intelligence to justify the ban, misleading Birmingham's safety advisory group. West Midlands police and crime commissioner Simon Foster made the referral, citing the significant impact on public confidence. The IOPC will investigate Guildford for potential misconduct related to the misleading intelligence and will also review his testimony before the home affairs select committee, where he admitted to errors in the force's dossier. Guildford retired from his position as chief constable after the report led to a loss of confidence from the home secretary.

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