FORMER WEST MIDLANDS POLICE CHIEF RECEIVES £57,800 PAYOUT AFTER RETIREMENT

Craig Guildford, former Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, received £57,800 in pay and outstanding leave following his retirement from the force in January. Guildford retired after pressure over the force's decision to recommend a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending an Aston Villa Europa League match at Villa Park on 6 November 2025. Guildford had recommended the exclusion based on police intelligence later found to contain incorrect information. The Home Affairs select committee established that the intelligence included a fictitious match between Maccabi and West Ham that arose from the use of Microsoft Copilot.

Guildford told MPs the force did not use artificial intelligence, a statement he later contradicted when he disclosed the involvement of Microsoft Copilot to the Home Affairs select committee. The committee also found that West Midlands Police did not adequately consult the Jewish community regarding the ban decision. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated she had lost confidence in Guildford's leadership following the incident. The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner's office stated that Guildford was legally entitled to three months' pay in lieu of notice plus any outstanding leave upon retirement.

The Police and Crime Commissioner's office confirmed there is no mechanism by which a Police and Crime Commissioner can prevent a Chief Constable retiring or resigning. The office stated that accepting the pay settlement rather than requiring Guildford to serve a three-month notice period whilst being paid full salary was in the interest of the public. Guildford retired with immediate effect on 16 January. The decision has drawn scrutiny regarding the circumstances surrounding both the original fan ban recommendation and the subsequent financial settlement.