Police chief admits misleading MPs after AI used in justification for banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans

Craig Guildford was first asked by MPs about the West Ham game - which never existed - on 1st December

He was then asked by Paul Kohler MP: "Hold on—so you did an AI search, got something about West Ham and just whacked it into the..."

Guildford replied: "No, not at all. We do a very comprehensive assessment."

On 6th January, Guildford again denied that AI had been used.

Here's Chief Constable Craig Guildford's letter to Karen Bradley, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee: ...I write further to my appearance at the HAC on the 1st December 2025 and 6th January 2026 ... on Friday afternoon I became aware that the erroneous result concerning the West Ham v Maccabi Tel Aviv match arose as result of a use of Microsoft Co Pilot...