Britain’s crime commissioner for the West Midlands says the region’s police chief will retire following mounting criticism for the force’s recommendation to ban soccer fans of Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending a game at Aston Villa last year, which was based on erroneous and AI-generated information.
The ban caused a diplomatic dispute, coming shortly after an antisemitic attack that killed two men at a synagogue in northwest England and when tensions were high because of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Chief constable Craig Guildford’s immediate retirement followed his force’s recommendation for a ban on away fans from the Europa League match in central England, police and crime commissioner Simon Foster says.
His retirement comes just days after interior minister Shabana Mahmood said she no longer had confidence in him after a report by the police watchdog.
“The findings of the Chief Inspector were damning. They set out a catalogue of failings that have harmed trust in West Midlands Police,” Mahmood says in a statement following the announcement. “By stepping down, Craig Guildford has done the right thing today.”
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