The erstwhile main constable of West Midlands Police is being investigated by the constabulary watchdog for gross misconduct implicit the banning of Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a lucifer against Aston Villa.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has fixed announcement that it is investigating Craig Guildford, arsenic good arsenic 3 constabulary officers and a unit member.
The IOPC launched an autarkic probe successful January to analyse the engagement of West Midlands Police officers successful the readying and mentation of the lucifer astatine Villa Park connected 6 November 2025.
The prohibition attracted nationalist and planetary debate, with the authorities saying it would bash everything successful its power to person it overturned.
The IOPC said grounds indicated that Guildford "may person had oversight connected an quality briefing papers presented to the information advisory radical (SAG) that was aboriginal reported to person contained inaccuracies and misleading information".
It is alleged the briefing papers "gave an imbalanced presumption of the hazard distant fans posed", contributing to the determination to prohibition the supporters.
The constabulary watchdog added: "We see Mr Guildford whitethorn person failed to guarantee owed diligence and the highest level of scrutiny implicit specified an influential document."
A elder serving officer, who played a pb relation successful compiling the briefing, is nether probe for allegedly failing to guarantee its accuracy.
The watchdog besides said the serviceman whitethorn not person accurately represented immoderate accusation which could person resulted successful the briefing "lacking impartiality".
English (US)·