Three West Midlands police officers have been called to re-testify before Parliament over their decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Villa match – a move that could also trigger a police watchdog investigation after errors in their intelligence reports were revealed.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford, Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara, and Chief Inspector Mick Wilkison were called to provide oral testimony to the Home Affairs Committee on December 1.
During the hearing into the decision to ban Maccabi fans from attending an away match against Villa on November 6, it transpired that some of the intelligence in the police’s report was bogus.
This included dramatically incorrect statements, such as Maccabi’s last match in the UK being against West Ham – which never happened – and the claim that during a match between Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam in 2024, Maccabi fans threw “innocent members of the public into the river,” that between 500 and 600 fans “intentionally targeted Muslim communities,” and that 5,000 police officers were deployed in response.
However, despite rigorous questioning from the committee and evidence from Lord John Mann – the independent antisemitism adviser to the UK government – Guilford and assistant O’Hara stood by the intelligence assessment.
When asked about the fictitious statements about the West Ham match, Guildford simply admitted that his “preparation was wrong, but that doesn’t mean the document was wrong.”
O’Hara later had to apologize to Birmingham’s Jewish community after he falsely claimed during the hearing that the community backed the decision.
It is now confirmed that the three are again being called to provide oral evidence on January 6, which MP Nick Timothy called “unprecedented for a chief constable.”
Additionally, on December 12, over a hundred MPs and peers wrote to the Independent Office of Police Complaints asking them to investigate West Midlands Police over its decision. The letter was signed by members of all the major parties, current and former front-benchers, and parliamentarians from the West Midlands.
Police watchdog threatens West Midlands force with full investigation
IOPC, the police watchdog, has also now ordered the West Midlands force to explain its decision, threatening a full investigation if it does not comply.
This is also extremely unusual, as, typically, IOPC only investigates a police force when the force refers itself for investigation. The IOPC also usually only looks into cases of deaths, injuries, or corruption at the hands of officers.
“While the usual route for [us] to deal with a complaint is via a referral from a police force, given the sensitivities in this matter, I am prepared to consider whether we ought to use our power of initiative,” Rachel Watson, IOPC director, said.
She confirmed that the response of Guilford will determine what steps IOPC will take next.
On Sunday, West Midlands police became embroiled in a new scandal, after it said that it will not commit to arresting those who chant ‘globalize the intifada’ despite the Metropolitan Police and the Greater Manchester Police announcing the move.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, told the Mail on Sunday: “West Midlands Police should follow the Met and Greater Manchester Police in making clear that chants for jihad and intifada are calls for violence and will always lead to arrest.”
Three West Midlands police officers have been called to re-testify before Parliament over their decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Villa match – a move that could also trigger a police watchdog investigation after errors in their intelligence reports were revealed.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford, Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara, and Chief Inspector Mick Wilkison were called to provide oral testimony to the Home Affairs Committee on December 1.
During the hearing into the decision to ban Maccabi fans from attending an away match against Villa on November 6, it transpired that some of the intelligence in the police’s report was bogus.
This included dramatically incorrect statements, such as Maccabi’s last match in the UK being against West Ham – which never happened – and the claim that during a match between Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam in 2024, Maccabi fans threw “innocent members of the public into the river,” that between 500 and 600 fans “intentionally targeted Muslim communities,” and that 5,000 police officers were deployed in response.
However, despite rigorous questioning from the committee and evidence from Lord John Mann – the independent antisemitism adviser to the UK government – Guilford and assistant O’Hara stood by the intelligence assessment.
When asked about the fictitious statements about the West Ham match, Guildford simply admitted that his “preparation was wrong, but that doesn’t mean the document was wrong.”
O’Hara later had to apologize to Birmingham’s Jewish community after he falsely claimed during the hearing that the community backed the decision.
It is now confirmed that the three are again being called to provide oral evidence on January 6, which MP Nick Timothy called “unprecedented for a chief constable.”
Additionally, on December 12, over a hundred MPs and peers wrote to the Independent Office of Police Complaints asking them to investigate West Midlands Police over its decision. The letter was signed by members of all the major parties, current and former front-benchers, and parliamentarians from the West Midlands.
IOPC, the police watchdog, has also now ordered the West Midlands force to explain its decision, threatening a full investigation if it does not comply.
This is also extremely unusual, as, typically, IOPC only investigates a police force when the force refers itself for investigation. The IOPC also usually only looks into cases of deaths, injuries, or corruption at the hands of officers.
“While the usual route for [us] to deal with a complaint is via a referral from a police force, given the sensitivities in this matter, I am prepared to consider whether we ought to use our power of initiative,” Rachel Watson, IOPC director, said.
She confirmed that the response of Guilford will determine what steps IOPC will take next.
On Sunday, West Midlands police became embroiled in a new scandal, after it said that it will not commit to arresting those who chant ‘globalize the intifada’ despite the Metropolitan Police and the Greater Manchester Police announcing the move.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, told the Mail on Sunday: “West Midlands Police should follow the Met and Greater Manchester Police in making clear that chants for jihad and intifada are calls for violence and will always lead to arrest.”