FOOTBALL ROW Former West Midlands Police Chief Received £57,800 Pay-Off After AI Football Fan Row

The former Chief Constable of West Midlands Police received a £57,800 payment after stepping down following the controversial decision to recommend banning Israeli football fans from an Aston Villa Europa League match.

Craig Guildford retired from the force at the age of 52 after coming under intense scrutiny over the handling of the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv fixture in November 2025.

His departure followed calls from both Downing Street and the Home Secretary, who said they had lost confidence in his leadership after a series of failings surrounding the force’s handling of the case.

According to The Telegraph, Guildford received £57,800 in lieu of his contractual three-month notice period after leaving the role with immediate effect.

AI errors at the centre of controversy

The controversy stemmed from West Midlands Police recommending that away supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv should be barred from attending the Europa League fixture at Villa Park over safety concerns.

Subsequent reviews found the force had made misleading statements about Maccabi supporters, with some of the intelligence underpinning the recommendation influenced by artificial intelligence hallucinations.

It was also concluded that the force had failed to properly consult the Jewish community before making its recommendation.

Guildford later admitted his decision had been based on incorrect information generated using AI.

The controversy intensified after the former chief constable initially told MPs that artificial intelligence had not been used to compile a report on Maccabi supporters before later admitting that statement was inaccurate.

PCC defends payment

A spokesperson for the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner said Guildford received only the contractual minimum he was entitled to.

They said: “Mr Guildford stepped down following months of scrutiny from the PCC, and many others, after West Midlands Police made the decision to recommend to the Birmingham City Council Safety Advisory Group a ban on away fans attending the Europa League football match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv on 6 November 2025.

“The commissioner has to act in accordance with due process and the law. Mr Guildford was legally entitled to three months’ pay in lieu of notice, plus any outstanding leave.

“He received no more than the bare minimum he was contractually entitled to.

“The alternative was for Mr Guildford to remain in post until April 2026, work his three-month notice period, and be paid his salary as chief constable, continuing to make operational decisions and lead the force.”

The spokesperson added that allowing Guildford to leave immediately ensured continuity of operational leadership and represented the most efficient and cost-effective outcome for the force.

‘Reward for failure’

Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy criticised the payment, describing it as a “reward for failure”.

He said: “It is a disgrace that Craig Guildford has walked away with such a huge payout.

“On his watch, under pressure from Islamists and anti-Semites, West Midlands Police lied to justify banning Israeli fans from Villa Park.”

The handling of the Maccabi Tel Aviv fixture has become one of the UK’s most high-profile policing controversies involving the use of artificial intelligence, prompting wider questions over the reliability of AI-generated intelligence, police accountability and decision-making.