Former West Midlands Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford received nearly £58,000 in leaving pay upon his retirement in January, following a controversy over a report that contained artificial intelligence-generated inaccuracies. The payout has drawn criticism from public spending advocates, who have labeled it a "golden goodbye for failure."
Guildford, 52, resigned after it emerged that a report used to justify banning Israeli football fans from a Europa League fixture against Aston Villa in November contained AI-generated falsehoods. A watchdog determined that the ban was based on "exaggerated and untrue" intelligence.
Guildford had told Parliament that the report was based on a "very careful assessment (of) information and intelligence." However, it later emerged that the report included false claims about the Israeli fanbase's behavior in the Netherlands in 2024, including allegations of throwing locals into a river and attacking community members. It also referenced a fictitious match between Maccabi and West Ham, which was reportedly created by Microsoft's Copilot AI software.
Amidst public pressure and a loss of confidence from the Home Secretary, Guildford resigned on January 16. In addition to his full pension, he received £57,800 in lieu of working his notice, according to the West Midlands Police's draft accounts for the past year.
William Yarwood of the TaxPayers' Alliance criticized the payment, stating that taxpayers "should not be used as a cash machine for police chiefs leaving under a cloud." He urged police bosses to justify the payment and demonstrate that it was not a "stitch-up."
Lord Austin, a former Labour minister and antisemitism campaigner, described the payout as "shocking," asserting that Guildford "should not have had a penny."
The parliamentary committee investigating the incident concluded in February that the debacle had "caused serious damage to trust in West Midlands Police, particularly among the local Jewish community."
West Midlands Police directed inquiries to the Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster. A spokesperson for Foster stated that the commissioner was legally bound to provide Guildford's contractual final pay package and that preventing his retirement would not have been in the public interest or that of the police force. They added that retirement was the "most efficient and cost-effective outcome" and ensured leadership continuity.
The game in question proceeded with approximately 15,000 empty seats and deserted away fan zones, though 700 police officers were present. Undeterred Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were met by pro-Palestinian activists outside Villa Park.